The Nation : Intelsat Satellite Deployed
An unmanned Atlas Centaur rocket streaked into space after being launched from Kennedy Space Center, Fla., and delivered a $30-million satellite into its preliminary orbit. NASA spokeswoman Lisa Malone said that “all indications are the Atlas Centaur rocket properly put its Intelsat 5A” communications satellite into preliminary orbit. If all goes well, an on-board solid rocket booster will fire early Tuesday to send the Intelsat satellite to its operational orbit 22,300 miles over the Indian Ocean, joining 16 other Intelsat relay stations. The Intelsat 5A is owned by the 109-nation International Telecommunications Satellite Organization.
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