Sea Launch‘s Odyssey Launch Platform and Sea Launch Commander have set sail in advance of the launch of Panamsat Corp.‘s Galaxy 16 communications satellite, Sea Launch announced June 5.

The mission, the third for Sea Launch in 2006, is scheduled to take place June 17 at the company’s launch site at 154 degrees West on the equator.

Galaxy 16, built by Space Systems/Loral, will replace Galaxy 4R and carries 24 C-band and 24 Ku-band transponders that will cover the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico and Canada from its orbital position at 99 degrees West.