NEXT SPACEFLIGHT

Status

Success

Ekspress 1

Launch Time
Thu Oct 13, 1994 16:18 UTC

Rocket

Proton-K/Block DM-2M
Roscosmos
Status: Retired
Liftoff Thrust: 9,548 kN
Payload to LEO: 19,000 kg
Payload to GTO: 2,500 kg
Stages: 4
Strap-ons: 0
Rocket Height: 57.64 m
Fairing Diameter: 4.35 m
Fairing Height: 10.4 m

Mission Details

Ekspress 1

The Ekspress series spacecraft for Data transmission, TV & radio-broadcasting, communications, Internet, video-conference closely resembled the Gals spacecraft and shared a similar spacecraft bus. Ekspress was to replace the widely used Gorizont spacecraft, and plans called for deployments at 13 locations (40 degrees, 53 degrees, 80 degrees, 90 degrees, 96.5 degrees, 99 degrees, 103 degrees, 140 degrees, 145 degrees, 205 degrees, 322.5 degrees, 346 degrees, and 349 degrees, all East longitude) for domestic needs and to support the Intersputnik Telecommunications Association.

Additional Ekspress spacecraft were to be sold to foreign companies, e.g., Rimsat, Ltd, but these deals did not materialize.

While the Express solar arrays were identical to those on Gals, the spacecraft bus had slightly smaller dimensions of 3.6 m by 6.1 m. A typical Ekspress payload included 10 C-band and 2 Ku-band transponders.

Payloads: 1
Total Mass: 2,500.0 kg
Geostationary Earth Orbit

Location

Site 200/39, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan

Stats

1994

70th orbital launch attempt

Proton-K

221st mission
9th mission of 1994
193rd successful mission
12th consecutive successful mission