Mullah to bless Proton-M rocket at Baikonur

Mullah (local Islamic cleric or mosque leader) will give a blessing to Proton-M rocket with Briz-M upper-stage rocket and a claster of KazSat-2 and SES-3 (OS-2) satellites in Baikonur, Interfax-Kazakhstan reports. This will be the first time this kind of ceremony is going to be held at the cosmodrome. Kazakhstan party applied to Roscosmos for a pass to Baikonur for a clergyman. The parties are currently discussing the ceremony's details. According to Baikonur's representative, the time and place of the ceremony is being discussed so that “the mullah and persons accompanying him and arriving to cosmodrome for the ceremony could have enough time for all required activities and their presence does not effect the schedule of works.” Earlier the blessing was given only by a clergymen of Baikonur St. George the Victorious orthodox church. Proton-M will be launched on July 16.