BAIKONUR COSMODROME, Kazakhstan, September 18, 2009 –International Launch Services (ILS), a world leader in providing mission and launch services to the commercial satellite industry, successfully carried the Nimiq 5 satellite into orbit today on an ILS Proton for Telesat, the fourth largest fixed satellite services operator worldwide. This was the fifth commercial mission of the year for ILS and the seventh successful Proton launch of 2009. With the launch of Nimiq 5 today, ILS has launched half of Telesat’s operational fleet.

More info: http://www.ilslaunch.com/news-091809

Cannes, September 9, 2009 – Thales Alenia Space and Indosat announced today that the Launch Early Operation Phase (LEOP) has been successfully completed and the Palapa-D communications satellite is now in the nominal geostationary orbit (GEO). The solar panels and antennas have been deployed, and the payload in-orbit testing (IOT) phase is ready to start.

More info: http://www.thalesgroup.com/Press_Releases/space_090909_Palapa-D_communications_satellite_now_in_geostationary_orbit/

The launch took place at the Xi Chang Satellite Launch Center, in Sichuan Province on August 31-st, but failed to place the spacecraft in the required orbit – due to an issue with the CZ-3B’s third stage.

More info: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2009/08/chang-zheng-3b-suffers-third-stage-problem-palapa-d/ 

Kourou, French Guiana (SPX) Aug 21, 2009
Arianespace Ariane 5 ECA lifted-off from Kourou, South America at 6:09 pm EDT, on August 21, 2009, on a successful flight to deliver two major Asian communication satellites into geostationary orbit - JCSAT 12 and OPTUS D3.

More info: http://www.arianespace.com/news-mission-update/2009/628.asp

Satbeams is featured in the UKs  "What Satellite & Digital TV" July's 2009 issue:

Buy the issue:

Echostar 1 has arrived at the 77W position. Predicted footprints are posted here: http://www.satbeams.com/satellites?norad=23754

Many thanks to Bajasur1 for providing the news and footprints!