Ekspress-A3 (russian: Экспрeсс-А3 meaning Express-A3), also designated Ekspress-3A, 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
Federal State Unitary Enterprise Satellite Communications (russian: ФГУП «Космическая связь») or Russian Satellite Communications Company is the main state operator of communications satellites. It is the Russian operator ...
(RSCC) and
EUTELSAT
Eutelsat S.A. is a French satellite operator. Providing coverage over the entire European continent, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas, it is the world's third-largest satellite operator in terms of revenues.
Eutelsat's satellit ...
.
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 Site 200
Site 200 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome is a launch site used by Proton rockets. It consists of two launch pads, areas 39 and 40. Area 39 is currently (as of 2021) used for Proton-M launches, including commercial flights conducted by International L ...
on 24 June 2000, at 00:28:00
UTC. The launch was made by
, and a
Proton-K
The Proton-K, also designated Proton 8K82K after its GRAU index or SL-12 after its model number, 8K82K, was a Russian, previously Soviet, carrier rocket derived from the earlier Proton. It was built by Khrunichev, and launched from sites 81 and ...
/
DM-2M 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.
Mission
It is part of the
Ekspress satellite constellation. Following its launch and on-orbit testing, it was placed in
geostationary orbit
A geostationary orbit, also referred to as a geosynchronous equatorial orbit''Geostationary orbit'' and ''Geosynchronous (equatorial) orbit'' are used somewhat interchangeably in sources. (GEO), is a circular geosynchronous orbit in altitud ...
at 11° West, from where it provides communications services to Russia, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
References
External links
*
Ekspress satellites
Spacecraft launched in 2000
Satellites using the KAUR bus
{{Russia-spacecraft-stub