Russia has launched a U.S. telecommunications satellite from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The Russian Federal Space Agency said the Proton-M carrier rocket with the Echostar-14 satellite atop lifted off last night. <br/><br/>Manufactured by the U.S. Loral Space Systems Inc., the satellite is scheduled to provide HD TV signal service for North American customers for about 15 years. This is the second commercial rocket launch in Russia this year. <br/><br/>The Baikonur Cosmodrome is one of the world's largest space launch facilities from where Earth's first satellite, Sputnik 1, was launched.