Atlas Rocket Puts TV Relay Satellite in Orbit
An Atlas rocket thundered into space Saturday with a European communications satellite that will relay television broadcasts of the 1992 Olympics.
It was the first commercial launch for General Dynamics Corp. since April, when one of its boosters careened out of control and had to be destroyed shortly after liftoff.
The $85-million satellite, owned by the European Telecommunications Satellite Organization, joins six other Eutelsat craft in orbit. The two oldest ones are being phased out, officials said.
The newest satellite will undergo a month of testing before becoming fully operational in a stationary orbit over Africa.
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