Ekspress-AM4
Russian communications satellite stranded in wrong orbit, later deorbited.
Ekspress-AM4 was a Russian communications satellite that failed to reach its intended orbit due to a malfunctioning Briz-M rocket stage. Owned by the Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC), it was intended for the Ekspress series of geostationary communications satellites. Proposals to repurpose it for Antarctic broadband services were considered, but the satellite was ultimately de-orbited and destroyed upon reentry.
Quick Facts
- Mission type
- Communications
- Operator
- Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC)
- Mission duration
- 15 years (planned); Failed on orbit
- Spacecraft type
- Ekspress
- Spacecraft bus
- EADS Astrium
- Manufacturer
- Eurostar-3000
- Launch mass
- 5,775 kg / 12,732 lb
- Power
- 14 kW / 18.8 hp
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- The satellite had antennas capable of broadcasting in C-band, Ku-band, L-band, and Ka-band.
- Despite being in the wrong orbit, the satellite was undamaged, prompting reuse proposals.
- Dennis Pivnyuk, chief financial officer of RSCC, announced on 15 March 2012 that the satellite would be decommissioned.
Launch
The satellite launched on a Proton-M rocket from Kazakhstan with a Briz-M upper stage. Shortly after launch, the Briz-M stage failed to separate from Ekspress-AM4, placing it into the wrong orbit. Contact was lost about six hours after launch, and telemetry stopped during or after the fourth of five planned Briz-M burns intended to insert the satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit.
Reuse proposals
Polar Broadband Systems, established in December 2011, proposed reusing Ekspress-AM4 for Antarctic communications, noting that a dedicated satellite would not be economically justified. The satellite had enough fuel for ten years of operation, providing 16 hours of daily broadband access to the Antarctic region. Australian company Antarctic Broadband also proposed a similar scheme, but neither proposal succeeded.
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