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Ekspress-AM 4, 4R

Ekspress-AM4 [Astrium]

The Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) has selected a team of Khrunichev Space Center and Astrium to build the Ekspress-AM 4 communications satellite.

Ekspress-AM 4, to be delivered late 2010 and positioned at 80°E, is by far the largest Express satellite ever ordered.

RSCC is focused primarily on the development of satellite communications and the broadcasting network in the Russian Federation to secure the common information space across the country. RSCC currently operates 11 satellites from 14°W to 145°E in geostationary orbit, and is currently looking for high power satellites to complement the existing fleet and fulfil growing needs for satellite capacity.

Express AM4 will use Astrium's Eurostar-3000 satellite design. The satellite will be delivered in orbit by Khrunichev Space Center using the Proton launch vehicle. It will be equipped with a 63 active transponders operating in L, C, Ku and Ka bands at a payload power of 14 kW for its planned 15-year service life in orbit. Its ten antennas will provide high performance coverage over the Russian Federation and the CIS countries and its steerable antennas can be used to provide communication to any point within the satellite's visibility.

After launch, the contact with the Briz-M upper stage and the satellite was lost after the fourth of five ignitions. Although contact with the satellite was established, it was stranded in a usless orbit. It was decided in March 2012, that Ekspress-AM 4 will be deorbited at the end of this month.

RSCC ordered in 2012 an identical replacement, Ekspress-AM 4R for a launch in 2013. It was also lost in a launch failure.

Nation: Russia
Type / Application: Communication
Operator: RSCC (Kosmicheskiya Svyaz)
Contractors: EADS Astrium → Airbus Defence and Space
Equipment: 30 C-band, 28 Ku-band, 2 Ka-band, 3 L-band transponders
Configuration: Eurostar-3000
Propulsion: ?
Power: 2 deployable solar arrays, batteries
Lifetime: 15 years
Mass: 5775 kg
Orbit: GEO
Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
Ekspress-AM 4 2011-045A 17.08.2011 Ba LC-200/39 P Proton-M Briz-M (Ph.3)
Ekspress-AM 4R 2014-F01 15.05.2014 Ba LC-200/39 F Proton-M Briz-M (Ph.3)

References:

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