khrunichev was contracted to launch ekspress am7, using a proton-m/briz-m rocket - the same configuration that had failed to deploy the similar ekspress am4 and ekspress am4r. the launch took place from site 200/39 at the baikonur cosmodrome, at 22:05 utc on 18 march 2015. the satellite was deployed into the planned geostationary transfer orbit.