The International Launch Services Proton rocket will launch the SES-3 satellite in 2011, under a new contract.

The SES-3 satellite is the third of SES’s satellites to be procured from Orbital Sciences. It will replace an existing satellite over the Americas.

The Proton launch vehicle will insert the 3t satellite into geostationary transfer orbit.

The SES satellite will travel with Kazaksat-2 in the same launch vehicle.

The Proton vehicle is heavy-lift Russian launcher, built by Khrunichev, a majority owner of ILS.