A Zenit launch vehicle has successfully launched Eutelsat 70B, a communications satellite, from SeaLaunch's platform in the Pacific Ocean.
As of press time, the Zenit's Blok-DM upper stage successfully completed its second and final burn and the spacecraft successfully separated, reaching geostationary transfer orbit.
The Ku-band satellite, built by Astrium, will transit into a geostationary orbit transmitting to Europe, the Middle East, Africa and parts of Asia.
The once-troubled SeaLaunch, which emerged from bankruptcy in 2011, has since had a largely successful record, despite an anomaly during the January, 2012 Intelsat 19 launch that left the satellite with partial functionality.
The launch marks Zenit's 79th launch.
Source: Flight International