Ekspress-AM44

Ekspress-AM44
NamesЭкспресс-АМ44
Ekspress-AM44
Express-AM44
Mission typeCommunications
OperatorRussian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC)
COSPAR ID2009-007A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.33595
Websiteeng.rscc.ru
Mission duration10 years (planned)
15 years, 10 months and 8 days (in progress)
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftEkspress-AM44
Spacecraft typeKAUR
BusMSS-2500-GSO[1]
ManufacturerNPO PM (bus)
Thales Alenia Space (payload)
Launch mass2,560 kg (5,640 lb) [2]
Dry mass590 kg (1,300 lb)
Power4410 watts
Start of mission
Launch date11 February 2009,
00:03:00 UTC[3]
RocketProton-M / Briz-M
Launch siteBaikonur, Site 200/39
ContractorKhrunichev State Research and Production Space Center
Entered serviceApril 2009 [2]
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit[4]
RegimeGeostationary orbit
Longitude11° West (2009–present)
Transponders
Band17 transponders:
10 C-band
6 Ku-band
1 L-band
Coverage areaRussia

Ekspress-AM44 (Russian: Экспресс-АМ44, meaning Express-AM44) 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, presidential and governmental mobile communications) and to deploy satellite networks by applying Very-small-aperture terminal (VSAT) technology to Russia.[1]

Satellite description

The satellite has a total of 17 transponders, was 10 C-band, 6 Ku-band and 1 L-band transponders. The Ekspress-AM44 Russian domestic communications satellite, built by Information Satellite Systems Reshetnev (NPO PM) for Kosmicheskaya Svyaz. The communications payload was built by the French company Thales Alenia Space.[5]

Launch

Ekspress-AM44 was launched by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, using a Proton-M / Briz-M launch vehicle. The launch took place at 00:03:00 UTC on 11 February 2009, from Site 200/39 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.[3] Successfully deployed into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO), Ekspress-AM44 raised itself into an operational geostationary orbit using its apogee motor.

Mission

Express-AM44 was launched into orbit on 11 February 2009. The commercial operation of the satellite started in April 2009.[2] The Ekspress-103 satellite entered in service at orbital position 11° West on 25 March 2021, where it replaced Ekspress-AM44.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b "Satellite Ekspress-AM44". SatBeams. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Satellite Ekspress-AM44". RSCC. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Report. 14 March 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  4. ^ "EXPRESS-AM44". N2YO.com. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  5. ^ "Report # 606". Jonathan's Space Report. 15 February 2009. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  6. ^ "Proton-M - 30 juillet 2020". Kosmonavtika. 26 March 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2021.