SAN DIEGO, Oct. 14, 1999 – International Launch Services announced today that the ACeS/Garuda-1 launch on a Proton/Block DM from the Baikonur Cosmodrome has been postponed from October 21 to October 31. Technicians are adjusting a valve in the Block DM upper stage fueling system. The need for the adjustment was discovered during the vehicle fueling process but there is no flaw in the valve.
The launch will take place at 8:59:48 p.m. on October 31, Baikonur time (10:59:48 a.m. Eastern Standard Time). Details on live broadcast arrangements will be published October 25.
ACeS/Garuda-1 is being launched for ACeS (Asia Cellular Satellite) International � a satellite-based Personal Communications Services (PCS) provider owned by Pasifik Satelit Nusantara of Indonesia, Lockheed Martin Global Telecommunications, the Philippine Long Distance Company and Jasmine International Public Company Ltd. of Thailand.
The satellite was built by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems, which is the direct customer of ILS. The satellite will provide voice, facsimile and pager services through hand-held mobile and fixed terminals throughout Asia.
International Launch Services is a joint venture stock company established in 1995 to market two of the world's premier launch vehicles, the American-built Atlas and the Russian-built Proton. Proton is built by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center.