Russia launches US telecoms satellite into space

A Russian Proton-M rocket launched a US EchoStar 14 telecommunications into orbit on Sunday, the Khrunichev space centre announced.

A Russian Proton-M rocket launched a US EchoStar 14 telecommunications into orbit on Sunday, the Khrunichev space centre announced.

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"The satellite had been placed in orbit about 36,000 kilometres above the Earth," said the a senior official at the centre, the Interfax agency reported.

The Proton launch took off from the Russian cosmodrome at Baikonur in Kazakhstan at 1827 GMT on Saturday.

EchoStar 14, built by Space Systems/Loral for the DISH Network, will help broadcast high-definition television to 14 million viewers in north America.

The 6,379-kilogram satellite has an expected lifespan of 15 years, Interfax reported.