Ekspress-AM11

Ekspress-AM11 (Russian: Экспресс-АМ11, meaning Express-AM11) is a Russian communications satellite. It belongs to the Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) based in Moscow, Russia.^[5]

Ekspress-AM11

Names	Экспресс-АМ11 Ekspress-AM11 Express-AM11
Mission type	Communications
Operator	Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC)
COSPAR ID	2004-015A
SATCAT no.	28234
Website	eng.rscc.ru
Mission duration	12 years (planned) 1.75 years (achieve)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	Ekspress-AM11
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	590 kg (1,300 lb)
Power	6 kW
Start of mission
Launch date	26 April 2004, 20:37:00 UTC[2]
Rocket	Proton-K / DM-2M
Launch site	Baikonur, Site 200/39
Contractor	Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center
Entered service	1 July 2004 [3]
End of mission
Disposal	Graveyard orbit
Deactivated	April 2006
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit[4]
Regime	Geostationary orbit
Longitude	96.5° East (2004–2006)
Transponders
Band	30 transponders: 26 C-band 4 Ku-band
Coverage area	Russia, Southeast Asia, Australia
Ekspress constellation ← Ekspress-AM22 Ekspress-AM1 →

Satellite description

The satellite has a total of 30 transponders, 26 C-band and 4 Ku-band, for the domestic coverage of the Russian Federation.^[5]

Launch

Ekspress-AM11 was launched by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, using a Proton-K / DM-02 launch vehicle. The launch took place at 23:00:00 UTC on 28 December 2003, from Site 200/39 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.^[2] Successfully deployed into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), Ekspress-AM11 raised itself into an operational geostationary orbit using its apogee motor.

Mission

The satellite can be received in Southeast Asia], Australia and the most part of Russia. Ekspress-AM11 was hit on 28 March 2006 by either a micrometeorite or a piece of space debris, which lead to instantaneous depressurization of the thermal control system fluid circuit, followed by a sudden outburst of the heat-carrying agent. This resulted in a significant disturbing moment generation followed by the spacecraft orientation loss and rotation. After regaining control, the satellite was put into a graveyard orbit.^[1]