Ekspress-A1 (russian: Экспрeсс-А1 meaning Express-A1), also designated Ekspress-6A No.1, 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 Earth. C ...
which is operated by
Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC).
Satellite description
It was constructed by
NPO Prikladnoi Mekhaniki
JSC Information Satellite Systems Reshetnev (russian: Информационные спутниковые системы имени академика М. Ф. Решетнёва, Informatsionnye sputnikovye systemy imeny akademika M. F. Reshetnyov ...
(ISS Reshetnev) and
Alcatel Space
Thales Alenia Space () is a Franco-Italian aerospace manufacturer. A joint venture between the French technology corporation Thales Group (67%) and Italian defense conglomerate Leonardo (33%), the company is the largest satellite manufacture ...
and is based on the
MSS-2500-GSO 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-d ...
. It is equipped with seventeen
transponders
In telecommunications, a transponder is a device that, upon receiving a signal, emits a different signal in response. The term is a blend of ''transmitter'' and ''responder''.
In air navigation or radio frequency identification, a flight trans ...
.
Launch
The satellite was launched at
Baikonur Cosmodrome
The Baikonur Cosmodrome ( kk, Байқоңыр ғарыш айлағы, translit=Baiqoñyr ğaryş ailağy, ; russian: Космодром Байконур, translit=Kosmodrom Baykonur, ) is a spaceport in an area of southern Kazakhstan leased to R ...
at
Site 200/39 on 27 October 1999, at 16:16:00
UTC. The launch was made by
, and a
Proton-K /
DM-2 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 pad, launch pads, supported by a missile launch contro ...
was used.
It is part of the
Ekspress satellite constellation.
The Russian Ekspress-A1 communications satellite was launched in October 1999 but the Proton-K launch vehicle failed early in flight, during second stage burn. This is the second failure of the 8K82K Proton-K in 1999.
References
External links
*
Ekspress satellites
Spacecraft launched in 1999
Satellites using the KAUR bus
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