Since April 24, 2015 Express-AM7 SC will broadcast a package of federal programmes, as well as the first and the second multiplex for broadcasting zones M (European part) and G (Ural) of the Russian Federation.
On April 24, 2015 the Federal State Enterprise Satellite Communications (RSCC) starts providing communications services in the orbital position 40°E, applying a new Express-AM7 spacecraft, which successfully passed the flight test program and was accepted for operation. The service area of Express AM7 covers Russia, Europe, Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
New telecommunications heavy satellite Express AM7 SC was designed by Aribus DS at the commission of RSCC, pursuant to the Federal Space Program of the Russian Federation in 2009-2015 and the Federal Target Program (FTP) of Broadcasting Development in the Russian Federation in 2009-2015. The Express-AM7 SC is equipped with 80 powerful transponders and 9 antennas of C-, Ku- and L-bands, and the service lifetime of the spacecraft is 15 years.
Starting operation of this vehicle is another big step towards eliminating totally the digital divide between our fellow citizens, and improving the sustainability of the general TV broadcasting system of the Russian Federation. The resource provided will also allow our subordinate enterprise to improve the operational efficiency under new economic conditions, as Oleg Dukhovnitsky, Head of the Federal Communications Agency, said.
The Express AM7 Spacecraft is designed to broadcast television packages within the FTP program, to ensure presidential governmental and special communications, to provide fixed satellite services for the benefit of public and commercial customers. Russian and foreign users obtain new opportunities for arranging a broadband Internet access, corporate networking, including based on VSAT technologies, creating TV broadcasting and multimedia services. The Express AM7 Spacecraft will enable mobile operators to create binding networks of remote cellular base stations, what will improve penetration and expand the range of telecommunications services in the hard-to-reach and distant regions.
On the eve of the Great Victory holidays RSCC starts broadcasting a package of federal programmes, as well as the first and second multiplex for broadcasting zones M and G of the Russian Federation (European part and Ural) by means of the most advanced Express AM7 spacecraft. Express AM7’s commissioning will allow RSCC to strengthen the Company’s positions in domestic and foreign markets, as well as to come into emerging markets, new for the company, in Africa and South Asia, as Yuri Prokhorov, the CEO of RSCC, marks.
The Express AM7’s funding was carried out by means of attracting Vnesheconombank’s resources. The total project cost was about EUR 152.8 million.
In the framework of constructing Express-AM7 SC a training program was implemented for Russian professionals from RSC Energia and the Federal State Unitary Enterprise Scientific Research Institute of Radio (FSUE SRIR). The training program arranged by Airbus DS in cooperation with RSCC, was conducted both in Russia and in the production facilities in France, and it covered all aspects of telecommunications programs: project management, warranty and quality standards, design and construction of space platforms and payload, payload and spacecraft testing. The training program and probations were attended by over 40 professionals from RSC Energia and FSUE SRIR.
We shall recall that the Express-AM6 telecommunications satellite was put into service earlier.
________________________________________
The Federal State Unitary Enterprise Satellite Communications (RSCC) is the Russian national satellite operator, the spacecrafts of which ensure global coverage. The company was founded in 1967 and is among the ten largest operators of fixed satellite communications in terms of revenues. RSCC owns to the largest satellite constellation in Russia. The service areas of RSCC’s satellites are located in orbit in the positions from 14°W up to 145°E, covering the entire territory of Russia, CIS countries, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North and South America, and Australia.
As the national satellite operator of Russia RSCC addresses the important state tasks on ensuring mobile presidential and governmental communications, federal TV and radio channels’ broadcasting in the territory of Russia and the most of countries worldwide. The company is actively involved in implementing top-priority national projects, cooperates closely with the Russian state authorities in the field of developing information and telecommunications systems of communication and broadcasting. RSCC provides a full range of communications and broadcasting services by means of its own ground engineering facilities and satellite constellation, which include advanced spacecrafts Express-AM and Express-A as well as a partial capacity of the 36A French satellite. The Company’s satellites provide ample opportunities for arranging TV and radio broadcasting, including DTH, IPTV, MPEG-4 services, broadband Internet access, data transmission, video conferencing, VSAT networking, departmental and corporate networking in any area of the Earth. RSCC deployed a modern ground spacecraft control center, which controls and monitors not only its own satellites, but also Eutelsat satellites and others.
The Company includes five space communications centers (SCC): Dubna, Bear Lakes, Skolkovo, Zheleznogorsk and Khabarovsk, Technical Centre Shabolovka in Moscow, as well as its own high-speed fiber-optic digital network.
RSCC is subordinate to the Federal Communications Agency (Rossvyaz).
