Proton M returns to flight with a successful launch of Intelsat 23

At 0837 GMT on 14 October, a Russian-built Proton M/Breeze M launch vehicle successfully launched the 2,730kg commercial communications satellite Intelsat 23 from the Baikonur launch site near Tyuratam, Kazakhstan.  The launch, which was marketed by the International Launch Services company, was a successful return to service for the Proton launch vehicle after a  Proton M/Breeze M launch failure in August.   That failure which stranded two communication satellites, Telkom 3 and Express MD-2, in an incorrect orbit was attributed by an investigation as being caused by a manufacturing fault in the Breeze-M (Briz-M) upper stage.