Gorizont 33 ( meaning "Horizon 33"), also known as Gorizont 45L was a Russian communications satellite operated by Kosmicheskiya Svyaz (RSCC). It was the last satellite to be launched as part of the Gorizont constellation. Constructed by NPO Prikladnoi Mekhaniki (NPO PM), it was based on the KAUR-3 satellite bus. Its launch was contracted by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, using a Proton-K / Briz-M launch vehicle.
Launch
The launch occurred at 02:59:00 UTC on 6 June 2000 from Site 81/24 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. This was the first successful launch of a Proton with a Briz-M upper stage, and as the previous Proton/Briz-M launch failed during the second stage burn, on 5 July 1999, the first firing of a Briz-M in flight.[1] The Proton itself flew with uprated engines, increasing its payload capacity ahead of the launch of Zvezda, a little over a month later, on 12 July 2000.