Launch Success
Liftoff Time (GMT)
03:47:00
Saturday April 7, 2001
First flight of Proton M.
Ekran-M continued the colour television broadcast to community users in Siberia and the Far North. The Ekran-M spacecraft were upgraded versions of the original Ekran craft and an augmented solar arrays to provide 1.8 kW of power. Most significantly, the lifetime of the satellites was increased from 3 to 9 years, which several crafts surpased. A modified Ekran-M, called Ekran-D, was proposed to permit digital transmissions of a broader assortment of information. The Ekran-D has not appeared yet.
Geosynchronous Orbit
1 Payload
2,100 kilograms
Manufacturer
KhrunichevPrice
$65.00 million
Rocket
Height: 58.18m
Payload to Orbit
LEO: 21,000 kg
GTO: 6,900 kg
Liftoff Thrust
10,027 Kilonewtons
Fairing
Diameter: 4.35m
Height: 15.26m
Stages
4
1st
Mission
1st
Mission of 2001
13th
Orbital launch attempt