The four-stage Soyuz-Fregat rocket which lifted off from the Baikonur cosmodrome at 2:30 am Sunday (2130 GMT Saturday) was due to place the AMOS-2 satellite in orbit some seven hours later.

Built by Israeli Aircraft Industries (IAI) and operated by the privately-owned Spacecom company, the 1,370 kilogramme (3,014 pound) satellite will enhance Spacecom's capacity for the Middle East, Europe and the East coast of the United States.

The launch by the Russian-European consortium Starsem was originally planned for an Ariane launcher provided by the French-based launch provider Arianespace but was transferred to a Russian Soyuz for technical reasons.

Arianespace holds a 15 percent share in Starsem and the two companies have developed a close working relationship.

Yossi Weiss, head of IAI's space division, speaking before the launch, voiced satisfaction with the arrangement, saying the operation "will give IAI a real boost in the marketing of small satellites."

AMOS-2 will take up geostationary position at a longitude of four degrees West close to Israel's first telecoms satellite, AMOS-1, which was launched by Arianespace in 1996.

The AMOS satellites have a working life of around 12 years, and Spacecom marketing manager Jacob Keret said that planning was under way to have a third satellite in place by the time AMOS-1 is removed from service in 2008.

Apart from the Middle East, Spacecom provides cable television and other telecom services to countries in East and Central Europe and has recently signed a contract to bring cable services to two million households in Germany, he said.

Formed in 1980, Arianespace is the global market leader in satellites launched to geostationary positions, with more than 160 launches, and has signed a further eight launch contracts this year, a company spokesman said.

By contrast, the AMOS-2 mission is only the 12th flight by Starsem since it started marketing and operating Soyuz launches in 1996.

The Russian Space Agency Rosaviakosmos owns a quarter-share in Starsem, as does the Russian space constructor Samara Space Centre, while a 35 percent share is held by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Companywhich combines French, German and Spanish concerns.

Starsem programmes director Francois Barreau noted that Franco-Russian cooperation in space launches was "developing fruitfully," with future ventures including the Venus Express launch set for November 2005 and the first of a series of Metop (European Meteorological) satellites the same year.

Soyuz rockets are due to start launching from France's Kourou space centre in Guyana in 2006.

Baikonur, leased from Kazakhstan under a 1994 agreement, is Russia's principal space centre, used mainly for commercial and satellite launches and for sending manned rockets and supply vessels to the International Space Station.

SPACE.WIRE