| Names | Экспресс-АМ44 Ekspress-AM44 Express-AM44 |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Communications |
| Operator | Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) |
| COSPAR ID | 2009-007A |
| SATCATno. | 33595 |
| Website | eng |
| Mission duration | 10 years (planned) 16 years, 9 months and 4 days(in progress) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Ekspress-AM44 |
| Spacecraft type | KAUR |
| Bus | MSS-2500-GSO[1] |
| Manufacturer | NPO PM (bus) Thales Alenia Space (payload) |
| Launch mass | 2,560 kg (5,640 lb)[2] |
| Dry mass | 590 kg (1,300 lb) |
| Power | 4410watts |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 11 February 2009, 00:03:00UTC[3] |
| Rocket | Proton-M /Briz-M |
| Launch site | Baikonur,Site 200/39 |
| Contractor | Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center |
| Entered service | April 2009[2] |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit[4] |
| Regime | Geostationary orbit |
| Longitude | 11° West (2009–present) |
| Transponders | |
| Band | 17transponders: 10C-band 6Ku-band 1L-band |
| Coverage area | Russia |
Ekspress-AM44 (Russian:Экспресс-АМ44, meaningExpress-AM44) is a Russian domesticcommunications satellite. It belongs to the Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) based inMoscow, Russia. To provide of communications services (digital television, telephony, videoconferencing, data transmission, the Internet access, presidential and governmental mobile communications) and to deploy satellite networks by applyingVery-small-aperture terminal (VSAT) technology to Russia.[1]
The satellite has a total of 17transponders, was 10C-band, 6Ku-band and 1L-band transponders. The Ekspress-AM44 Russian domestic communications satellite, built byInformation Satellite Systems Reshetnev (NPO PM) forKosmicheskaya Svyaz. The communications payload was built by the French companyThales Alenia Space.[5]
Ekspress-AM44 was launched byKhrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, using aProton-M /Briz-Mlaunch vehicle. The launch took place at 00:03:00UTC on 11 February 2009, fromSite 200/39 atBaikonur Cosmodrome,Kazakhstan.[3] Successfully deployed intogeostationary transfer orbit (GTO), Ekspress-AM44 raised itself into an operational geostationary orbit using itsapogee motor.
Express-AM44 was launched into orbit on 11 February 2009. The commercial operation of the satellite started in April 2009.[2] TheEkspress-103 satellite entered in service at orbital position 11° West on 25 March 2021, where it replaced Ekspress-AM44.[6]
