Ekspress-AM3

Ekspress-AM3 (Russian: Экспресс-АМ3, meaning Express-AM3) is a Russian domestic communications satellite. It belongs to Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC). It provides communications services (digital television, telephony, videoconferencing, data transmission, Internet access) and deploy satellite networks by applying VSAT technology to Russia and its neighbors (CIS).^[1]

Ekspress-AM3

Names	Экспресс-АМ3 Ekspress-AM3 Express-AM3
Mission type	Communications
Operator	Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC)
COSPAR ID	2005-023A
SATCAT no.	28707
Website	eng.rscc.ru
Mission duration	12 years (planned) 20 years, 3 months and 29 days (in progress)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	Ekspress-AM3
Spacecraft type	KAUR
Bus	MSS-2500-GSO[1]
Manufacturer	NPO PM (bus) Alcatel Space (payload)
Launch mass	2,542 kg (5,604 lb)
Dry mass	596 kg (1,314 lb)
Power	6 kW
Start of mission
Launch date	24 June 2005, 19:41:00 UTC[2]
Rocket	Proton-K / DM-2M
Launch site	Baikonur, Site 200/39
Contractor	Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center
Entered service	August 2005
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit[3]
Regime	Geostationary orbit
Longitude	140° East (2005–present)
Transponders
Band	29 transponders: 16 C-band 12 Ku-band 1 L-band
Coverage area	Russia, CIS
Ekspress constellation ← Ekspress-AM2 Ekspress-AM33 →

Design

The satellite has 29 transponders: 16 C-band, 12 Ku-band and 1 L-band transponders. It was built by Information Satellite Systems Reshetnev (NPO PM) for Kosmicheskaya Svyaz. The communications payload was built by French company Alcatel Space.^[4]

Launch

Ekspress-AM3 was launched by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, using a Proton-K / Blok DM-2M launch vehicle. The launch took place at 19:41:00 UTC on 24 June 2005, from Site 200/39 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.^[2] It deployed into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) and raised itself into an operational geostationary orbit using its apogee motor.