Ekspress-AM1

Ekspress-AM1 (Russian: Экспресс-АМ1, meaning Express-AM1) is a Russian domestic communications satellite. It belongs to the Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) based in Moscow, Russia. To provide of communications services (digital television, telephony, videoconferencing, data transmission, the Internet access) and to deploy satellite networks by applying VSAT technology to Russia and its neighbors (CIS).^[4]

Ekspress-AM1

Names	Экспресс-АМ1 Ekspress-AM1 Express-AM1
Mission type	Communications
Operator	Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC)
COSPAR ID	2004-043A
SATCAT no.	28463
Website	https://eng.rscc.ru/
Mission duration	12 years (planned) 8.5 years (achieved)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	Ekspress-AM1
Spacecraft type	KAUR
Bus	MSS-2500-GSO (MS-767) [1]
Manufacturer	NPO PM (bus) NEC (payload)
Launch mass	2,542 kg (5,604 lb)
Dry mass	570 kg (1,260 lb)
Power	6 kW
Start of mission
Launch date	29 October 2004, 22:11:00 UTC[2]
Rocket	Proton-K / DM-2M
Launch site	Baikonur, Site 200/39
Contractor	Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center
Entered service	16 February 2005
End of mission
Disposal	Graveyard orbit
Deactivated	10 August 2013
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit[3]
Regime	Geostationary orbit
Longitude	40° East (2005-2013)
Transponders
Band	28 transponders: 9 C-band 18 Ku-band 1 L-band
Coverage area	Russia, CIS
Ekspress constellation ← Ekspress-AM11 Ekspress-AM2 →

Satellite description

The satellite has a total of 28 transponders, was 9 C-band, 18 Ku-band and 1 L-band transponders. The Ekspress-AM1 Russian domestic communications satellite, built by Information Satellite Systems Reshetnev (NPO PM)) for Kosmicheskaya Svyaz. The communications payload was built by the Japanese companies NEC and Toshiba.^[5]

Launch

Ekspress-AM1 was launched by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, using a Proton-K / DM-2M launch vehicle. The launch took place at 22:11:00 UTC on 29 October 2004, from Site 200/39 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.^[2] Successfully deployed into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), Ekspress-AM1 raised itself into an operational geostationary orbit using its apogee motor.

Mission

Ekspress-AM1 failed in May 2010 following a shutdown of its attitude-control system. It was recovered, but inclination increased afterwards. On 10 August 2013, the satellite was finally decommissioned and afterwards sent to a graveyard orbit.^[1]