This morning, the Proton-M Integrated Launch Vehicle (ILV) / the Eutelsat 9B spacecraft stack was erected on the launch pad of Area 200. Specialists from Khrunichev and other space industry entities have proceeded with the operations required by on-pad Day 1 schedule.

The launch of Proton-M ILV / Eutelsat-9B satellite is scheduled for 30 January 2016, at 01:20 msk, marking the first Proton launch this year. The year 2015 saw eight Proton launches.

Both the Proton launch vehicle and Breeze-M upper stage were designed, and are serially produced, at the Khrunichev Space Center. The modernized Proton-M / Breeze-M upper stage configuration is capable of providing a GTO delivery for payloads with a mass in excess of 6 MT.

The upcoming launch will be performed as part of the long-term Proton M launch services contract signed in October 2015 between the International Launch Services (ILS), a Khrunichev Space Center subsidiary, and one of the leading international operators, the Paris-based Eutelsat Communications. Over the past 15 years, as many as 11 spacecraft were launched on the Proton LV for the Eutelsat orbital group.