Lockheed launches high definition TV satellite - May 19, 2004 07:44 PM (Reuters) CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., May 19 (Reuters) - A Lockheed Martin Atlas 2 rocket blasted off from Florida on Wednesday carrying a 2.5 tonne high-definition television satellite that will bring the new format to some familiar cable offerings in the United States. Lockheed (NYSE:LMT) reported a clean lift-off from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 6:22 p.m. EDT (2222 GMT), followed 28 minutes later by the separation of the AMC-11 satellite, built by Lockheed for SES AMERICOM, from the rocket's second stage. This was one of the last rockets launched in what has become an old-fashioned way, with the launch team hunkered down in a concrete bunker with 12-foot (3.6-metre) thick walls just 800 feet (240 metres) from the launch pad. The launch controller actually pushed a button. Both Lockheed and its chief U.S. rival, Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA), are quickly phasing out older generation rockets in favor of new models that are more powerful, more flexible and, if the industry is correct, more reliable. Lockheed's Atlas 5 does away with such trappings as the launch tower and the button and can be rolled out to a nearly bare pad just 12 hours before launch. ... - http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=41564243 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways: - Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration settings at FreeLists.org - By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word unsubscribe in the subject line.