Ekspress-AM7 (russian: Экспресс-АМ7 meaning ''Express-AM7'') is a Russian
communications satellite
A communications satellite is an artificial satellite that relays and amplifies radio telecommunication signals via a transponder; it creates a communication channel between a source transmitter and a receiver at different locations on Ear ...
operated by the
Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC).
Satellite description
EADS Astrium, was contracted in March 2012, which had become part of
Airbus Defence and Space
Airbus Defence and Space is the division of Airbus SE responsible for the development and manufacturing of the corporation's defence and space products, while also providing related services. The division was formed in January 2014 during the ...
by the time of the satellite's launch, constructed Ekspress-AM7, which was based on the
Eurostar-3000 satellite bus
A satellite bus (or spacecraft bus) is the main body and structural component of a satellite or spacecraft, in which the payload and all scientific instruments are held.
Bus-derived satellites are opposed to specially produced satellites. Bus- ...
.
The satellite has a mass of , provides 18 kilowatts to its payload, and a planned operational lifespan of 15 years. The satellite carried 62
transponders: 24 operating in the
C-band of the electromagnetic spectrum, 36 in the
Ku-band and 2 in the
L-band.
It is a replacemt for
Ekspress-AM1.
Launch
Khrunichev was contracted to launch Ekspress-AM7, using a
Proton-M
The Proton-M, (Протон-М) GRAU index 8K82M or , is an expendable Russian heavy-lift launch vehicle derived from the Soviet-developed Proton. It is built by Khrunichev, and launched from sites 81 and 200 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome i ...
/
Briz-M launch vehicle
A launch vehicle or carrier rocket is a rocket designed to carry a payload (spacecraft or satellites) from the Earth's surface to outer space. Most launch vehicles operate from a launch pads, supported by a launch control center and syste ...
- the same configuration that had failed to deploy the similar
Ekspress-AM4 and
Ekspress-AM4R. The launch took place from
Site 200/39 at the
Baikonur Cosmodrome
''Baiqoñyr ğaryş ailağy'' rus, Космодром Байконур''Kosmodrom Baykonur''
, image = Baikonur Cosmodrome Soyuz launch pad.jpg
, caption = The Baikonur Cosmodrome's " Gagarin's Start" Soyu ...
, at 22:05:00
UTC on 18 March 2015. The satellite was deployed into the planned
geostationary transfer orbit (GTO).
See also
*
Ekspress
Ekspress (russian: Экспресс meaning Express), is a series of geostationary communications satellites owned by Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC). The first satellite of this kind was launched on 13 October 1994. The satell ...
References
{{Orbital launches in 2015
Spacecraft launched in 2015
Ekspress satellites
2015 in Russia
Satellites using the Eurostar bus