Proton Launches Last Gorizont, First Briz-M, New Engines

A Proton K/Briz-M successfully launched Gorizont 33 (45L) from Baikonur Cosmodrome, pad 24 in Area 81, at 7:59 p.m. PDT (0259 UTC June 6) June 5. The NPO Prikladnoi Mekhaniki (NPO PM) built 2200 kg (4850 lbm) satellite has eight transponders: one Ku-band, one L-band and six C-band. Gorizont 33 will be positioned in geostationary orbit at 145°E. The satellite will be operated by the Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC). 

Many western sources reference this satellite as Gorizont 33, the Russian's call it simply, Gorizont, the satellite's factory production number was 45L. 

Twenty-nine Gorizont (Horizon) satellites have been successfully launched and deployed in orbit. Three spacecraft were lost in launch mishaps and one failed due to a loss of pressure in its cooling system. This flight will be the last of the series.

This is the first flight for the improved engines on the second and third stage of the Proton rocket, known as Phase 2. The same modified engines will be used on the Proton that is scheduled to launch the International Space Station Zvezda service module. Two Protons with Phase 2 engines must fly successfully before the Russian Aviation and Space Agency (Rosaviacosmos) will grant approval for Zvezda's launch, currently planned for July 12.  

This is the second flight for the Briz-M upper stage (in some sources also referenced as Breeze-M), but with the launch vehicle failing on that first flight, prior  to the stage being used, this will be the first flight on which the upper stage is fired. Briz-M can re-ignite its engines multiple times. Breeze M is expected to fire five times to place the Gorizont 33 satellite into orbit. The new upper stage will allow the Proton booster to deliver between 3000 to 3300 kg of payload into the geostationary orbit used by most commercial satellites. The Khrunichev Salyut Design Bureau based the design on the smaller Briz-K. Using a toroid-shaped external tank the launch vehicle can carry about 15 tons of additional propellant in the external tank.

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