28364 - APSTAR 5 (TELSTAR 18)

APSTAR 5 (TELSTAR 18) is a Russian communications spacecraft that was launched by a Zenit 3SL rocket from the Odyssey platform floating on the equatorial Pacific Ocean at 04:00 UT on 29 June 2004. It was intended to be a geostationary satellite, but due to the premature stoppage of the boost from the final DM-SL stage, it ended far below the geostationary orbit.

Facts in Brief

Launch Date: 2004-06-29
Launch Vehicle: Zenit 3SL
Launch Site: Odyssey (Sea Launch Platform)