A Proton launch vehicle lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome Thursday at 10:37 a.m. local time (12:23 a.m. EDT), and placed the Russian Cosmos 2397 satellite into geostationary orbit. Separation occurred approximately six and a half hours later.

This was the first Proton launch of 2003. The next launch is scheduled Tuesday when a Proton rocket will carry the AMC-9 satellite into orbit for Alcatel Space and SES Americom under the auspices of International Launch Services.