International Launch Services (ILS), a leading launch services provider for the global commercial satellite industry, successfully carried the SES-4 satellite into geostationary transfer orbit today on an ILS Proton for SES of Luxembourg (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG).

This was the 20th SES satellite launched on ILS Proton and the 70th ILS Proton launch overall. The ILS Proton Breeze M launched from Pad 39 at the Cosmodrome at 1:36 a.m. today local time (2:36 p.m. EST, 20:36 GMT on February 14).

After a 9 hour, 12-minute mission, the Breeze M successfully released the SES-4 satellite into geostationary transfer orbit.

This was the 373rd launch for Proton since its inaugural flight in 1965. The Proton Breeze M launch vehicle was developed and built by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center of Moscow, one of the pillars of the space industry and the majority shareholder in ILS SES-4 is the largest satellite in SES's fleet, weighing 6.18 metric tons to be located at 338 degrees east; the largest neighborhood in the Atlantic.

Built on the flight-proven Space Systems/Loral 1300 platform, SES-4 will be a hybrid satellite featuring 52 high powered C-band coverage and incremental global capacity for video distribution, government and VSAT services.

The satellite's 72 Ku-band payload will provide enhanced capacity across three continents, with coverage in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Western Africa and Latin America.

ILS President, Frank McKenna said, "It is always thrilling to achieve milestones in our business but even more so when it is with a longtime customer, such as SES.

With the ILS Proton launch of SES-4 this marks our 20th SES satellite launched on ILS Proton and the 50th satellite in the SES fleet. We are honored to be entrusted with launching the powerful SES-4 satellite and look forward to performing on all of our upcoming ILS Proton missions for SES," said ILS President, Frank McKenna.

"Once again, ILS Proton has come through for SES, enabling the expansion of our business into emerging markets with the launch of SES-4.

This is the 50th satellite in SES's fleet and the third launch attempt by the powerful Proton launch vehicle proved to be a total success. We are thankful for the hard work and diligence of the collective teams of ILS, Khrunichev, SES and Space Systems/Loral on this mission for this successful launch," said SES President and CEO, Romain Bausch.

ILS is a world leader in providing launch services for global satellite operators offering a complete array of services and support, from contract signing through mission management and on-orbit delivery. ILS has exclusive rights to market the Proton vehicle to commercial satellite operators worldwide and is a U.S. company headquartered in Reston, Va., near Washington, D.C.