MOSCOW -- A Russian rocket has launched U.S. telecommunications satellite Direct TV from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, AFP quoted Russian space officials as saying early Wednesday.

The Proton-K rocket successfully placed the 4.3 ton commercial satellite into geostationary orbit Wednesday at 03:32 am, Moscow time (Tuesday at 11:32 pm GMT), the Itar-Tass news agency quoted the officials as saying.

Direct TV will reinforce television links to the Americas.

Last year, Russia launched 32 civil and military satellites into orbit.