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Ekspress-A4

Names	Экспресс-A1R Express-A1R Ekspress-A No. 4 Express-A4 Ekspress-4A Atlantic Bird 14
Mission type	Communications
Operator	Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC)
COSPAR ID	2002-029A
SATCAT no.	27441
Website	eng.rscc.ru
Mission duration	7 years (planned) 17.5 years (achieved)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	Ekspress-A1R
Spacecraft type	KAUR
Bus	MSS-2500-GSO
Manufacturer	NPO PM (bus) Alcatel Space (payload)
Launch mass	2,600 kg (5,700 lb)
Power	2540 watts
Start of mission
Launch date	10 June 2002, 01:14:00 UTC
Rocket	Proton-K / Blok DM-2M
Launch site	Baikonur, Site 200/39
Contractor	Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center
Entered service	August 2002
End of mission
Disposal	Graveyard orbit
Deactivated	January 2020
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit
Regime	Geostationary orbit
Longitude	40° West (2002–2005) 14° West (2005–2015) 145° East (2016–2020)
Transponders
Band	17 transponders: 12 C-band 5 Ku-band
Coverage area	Russia
Ekspress constellation← Ekspress-A3Ekspress-AM22 →

Ekspress-A4 (Russian: Экспресс-A4 meaning Express-A4), is a Russian communications satellite which is operated by Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC). It was constructed by NPO PM and Alcatel Space and is based on the MSS-2500-GSO satellite bus.

Satellite

The launch was contracted by Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, and used a Proton-K / Blok DM-2M launch vehicle flying from Site 200/39 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Launch

Ekspress-A4 is a Russian geosynchronous communications spacecraft that was launched on 10 June 2002 from Baikonur by a Proton-K launch vehicle at 01:14:00 UTC. The 2,600 kg (5,700 lb) spacecraft carries 12 transponders in C-band and five in Ku-band to provide voice, data, and video communications in Russia.

Mission

It is part of the Ekspress network of satellites. Following its launch and on-orbit testing, it was placed in geostationary orbit at 40° West, from where it provides communications services to Russia. It is equipped with seventeen transponders. In January 2020, the satellite was retired and moved to a graveyard orbit above the geostationary orbit.

References

1. Krebs, Gunter (19 May 2020). "Ekspress-A1, -A2, -A3". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
2. "Issue 481". Jonathan's Space Report. 13 June 2002. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
3. "Express-4A". Satellite News Digest. 23 January 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
4. "Express A1R". LyngSat. Archived from the original on 30 April 2009. Retrieved 22 April 2021.

• Ekspress satellites
• Spacecraft launched in 2002
• Satellites using the KAUR bus