Ekspress-A3

Ekspress-A3, also designated Ekspress-3A, is a Russian communications satellite which is operated by Russian [Satellite Communications Company] and EUTELSAT.

WWW Official Site

Satellite description

It was constructed by NPO Prikladnoi Mekhaniki and Alcatel Space and is based on the MSS-2500-GSO satellite bus. It is equipped with seventeen transponders.

Launch

The satellite was launched at Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 200 on 24 June 2000, at 00:28:00 UTC. The launch was made by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, and a Proton-K / DM-2M launch vehicle was used.

Mission

It is part of the Ekspress satellite constellation. Following its launch and on-orbit testing, it was placed in geostationary orbit at 11° West, from where it provides communications services to Russia, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.