OREANDA-NEWS. The Upper Stage Breeze-M Unit of the Proton-M space vehicle has been delivered to Baikonur onboard a Volga-Dnepr Airlines' An-124-100 freighter to facilitate the launch of the Russian Yamal-401 communications satellite.

The 6,500 kilos Breeze-M was part of a 25 ton shipment flown from Moscow to Yubileyniy Airport on 10 November. The cargo also included the special container for the Breeze-M component and auxiliary equipment. Volga-Dnepr will also carry the container back to Moscow.

Volga-Dnepr conducted the flight on behalf of the Khrunichev State Space Research and Production Center, whose representatives were waiting in Kazakhstan to prepare for the launch of the space vehicle.

Aerospace cargo transportation is one of the major areas of Volga-Dnepr Airlines' business and it employs experts with considerable knowledge and experience in this area. During the first nine months of 2014, Volga-Dnepr's An-124-100 freighters performed 138 flights and its IL-76TD-90VD aircraft operated three flights transporting satellite equipment. In total, the company has operated more than 760 flights carrying aerospace cargoes on its An-124s and a further 119 flights using its IL-76TD-90VD aircraft over the course of its history.