On November 20, 2012 at 18:30 UTC the "Proton-M” rocket-carrier was launched from Baykonur Cosmodrome. The rocket equipped with the "Briz-M” booster orbited the "Echostar-16” communications satellite for the U.S.-based Dish Network direct broadcasting service. The satellite was manufactured by Space Systems/Loral. The satellite’s design life is 15 years.
