Ekspress-A2 (Russian: Экспресс-A2 meaning Express-A2), also designated Ekspress-6A No 2 and sometimes erroneously called Ekspress-2A, is a Russian communications satellite which is operated by Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC). It was constructed by NPO PM and Alcatel Space and is based on the MSS-2500-GSO satellite bus.
Names | Экспресс-A2 Express-A2 Ekspress-6A No 2 Ekspress-A No. 2 |
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Mission type | Communications |
Operator | Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) |
COSPAR ID | 2000-013A ![]() |
SATCAT no. | 26098 |
Website | eng |
Mission duration | 7 years (planned) 15 years (achieved) |
Spacecraft properties | |
Spacecraft | Ekspress-A2 |
Spacecraft type | KAUR |
Bus | MSS-2500-GSO |
Manufacturer | NPO PM (bus) Alcatel Space (payload) |
Launch mass | 2,600 kg (5,700 lb) |
Power | 2540 watts |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 12 March 2000, 04:07:00 UTC |
Rocket | Proton-K / Blok DM-2M |
Launch site | Baikonur, Site 200/39 |
Contractor | Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center |
Entered service | May 2000 |
End of mission | |
Disposal | Graveyard orbit |
Deactivated | October 2015 |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
Regime | Geostationary orbit |
Longitude | 80° East (2000–2005) 103° East (2005–2014) 145° East (2014–2015) |
Transponders | |
Band | 17 transponders: 12 C-band 5 Ku-band |
Coverage area | Russia |
Ekspress constellation |
The launch was contracted by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, and used a Proton-K / Blok DM-2M launch vehicle flying from Site 200/39 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome.[1]
Ekspress-2A is a Russian geosynchronous communications spacecraft that was launched on 12 March 2000 from Baikonur by a Proton-K launch vehicle at 04:07:00 UTC. USSPACECOM had tentatively named it Express-6A.[2] The 2,600 kg (5,700 lb) spacecraft carries 12 transponders in C-band and five in Ku-band to provide voice, data, and video communications in Russia from the parked longitude of 80° east, supplementing the existing fleet of seven Gorizont, two Ekspress and an EKRAN-M. Ekspress are scheduled to replace the aging Gorizont fleet.[3]
It is part of the Ekspress network of satellites. Following its launch and on-orbit testing, it was placed in geostationary orbit at 103° East, from where it provides communications services to Russia.[4] It is equipped with seventeen transponders. In October 2015, the satellite was retired and moved to a graveyard orbit above the geostationary orbit.
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Ekspress |
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Ekspress-A |
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Ekspress-AM | |
Ekspress-AT |
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Ekspress-MD |
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← 1999 · Orbital launches in 2000 · 2001 → | |
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Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ). Cubesats are smaller. Crewed flights are underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses). |
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