Dozens of communities across America will receive local network television programming via a satellite successfully launched into space today where it joins a fleet of direct-to-home broadcasting craft operated by DirecTV.

The Zenit rocket launches in the pre-dawn darkness. Credit: Sea Launch

Roaring off a floating platform stationed in the mid-Pacific Ocean at 1242 GMT (8:42 a.m. EDT), a Zenit 3SL rocket delivered the DirecTV 7S spacecraft into an egg-shaped geosynchronous transfer orbit a half-hour later.

The orbit reached was right on target with a high point of 35,794 km, low point of 200 km and inclination of zero degrees to the equator.

Deployment of the 12,063-pound satellite payload marked the 12th successful mission for the international Sea Launch consortium over the past five years and the 10th in a row.

"In a 29-minute flight with a single-burn of our upper stage, Sea Launch has once again broken its own record by successfully deploying the heaviest commercial satellite in history. This achievement further solidifies Sea Launch's position as the preeminent heavy lift commercial launch service in the industry," said Jim Maser, president and general manager of Sea Launch.

The DirecTV 7S satellite, manufactured by Space Systems/Loral with a design life of 15 years, will maneuver itself into a circular geostationary orbit about 36,000 km above the equator at 119 degrees West longitude to cover the U.S.

As seen from the control ship positioned a short distance from the launch platform, the Zenit rocket lifts off with DirecTV 7S. Credit: Sea Launch

Once in service next month, DirecTV will use its newest spacecraft to expand the number of local TV channels available to subscribers. Receiving local programming via small roof-top dishes allows DirecTV to compete with cable companies.

Built with "spot beam" technology, DirecTV 7S will give DirecTV the capacity to transmit local channels to 41 additional markets, increasing the company's reach to a total of 106 markets. DirecTV currently has more than 12.2 million customers.

"It completes the viewing experience for our customers in all of these new markets by adding local news, local weather and local sports. D7S also frees up capacity for more national channels and high-definition channels," said Eddy Hartenstein, vice chairman of DirecTV Group.

DirecTV 7S becomes the eighth satellite in DirecTV's orbiting fleet and company's second high-power spot beam spacecraft.

"The high-power DirecTV 7S satellite is the most advanced direct-broadcast satellite ever built," added C. Patrick DeWitt, president, Space Systems/Loral.

An artist's concept of DirecTV 7S. Credit: Loral

The DirecTV 7S satellite is the third Loral-built satellite in the DirecTV fleet. SS/L also is building two additional satellites, DirecTV 8 and DirecTV 9S, at its facility in Palo Alto, Calif.

DirecTV 7S was supposed to fly aboard a European Ariane 5 rocket. However, it was transferred to Sea Launch due to scheduling conflicts in the Arianespace manifest.

The switch was performed within the Launch Services Alliance created last July by Arianespace, Sea Launch marketer Boeing Launch Services and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of the Japanese H-2A rocket program.

"We congratulate our partners at Boeing Launch Services and the entire Sea Launch team on today's successful launch of DirecTV 7S," said Jean-Yves Le Gall, CEO of Arianespace. "In a few short months, we have worked together and accomplished our goal of providing unrivaled service and on-time launch to our customer."

The alliance competes with International Launch Services -- the joint U.S./Russian venture created a decade ago to globally market Atlas and Proton rockets. ILS offers a mutual backup option that allows satellites to switch between the two rocket families if delays occur.