First reports said a technical failure linked with an engine in the Russian Proton-M rocket carrying the satellite took place a few minutes after the launch at 02:43 am Moscow time (2243 GMT Wednesday).

As a result, the satellite was not placed in orbit, Khrunichev centre spokesman Alexander Bobrenev was quoted as saying.

"A state commission has been set up to inquire into the causes of the malfunction," he added.

JCSat 11, intended to retransmit television broadcasts, was to have covered Japan, the Asia Pacific region and the Hawaii island group.

The JCSat company, one of the Asia Pacific region's leaders in satellite television, already has eight satellites in orbit. JCSat 11 was to have been a reserve.

The Proton M rocket is an updated version of the heavy Proton K, the most reliable rocket in the world over nearly 40 years.

In line with decisions of the Russian government, all commercial launches by Proton rockets are made by the Russian-American joint venture ILS-International Launch Services Inc. which has carried out around 40 since it was set up in 1996.

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