The KA-SAT satellite of Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL) has been successfully lofted into orbit by a Proton Breeze M rocket supplied by ILS. Lift-off of Eutelsat’s 6.1 tonne satellite took place on 26 December at 21.51 GMT (22.51 CET). After a 9-hour 12-minute flight, the launcher released KA-SAT into geosynchronous transfer orbit. Acquisition of the satellite’s telemetry signal by Eutelsat’s control centre at the Rambouillet teleport, and the partial deployment of the solar arrays have already been successfully completed.