The decision on the readiness of the payload of the communication satellite for operation will be made in the near future
MOSCOW, January 25. /TASS/. The decision on the readiness of the payload of the Express-80 communication satellite for operation will be made in the near future, experts have already conducted its flight tests. This is stated in a video posted on Wednesday on the official channel of JSC "Information Satellite Systems named after M. F. Reshetnev" (ISS) on YouTube.
"ISS specialists have completed flight tests of the payload on the Express-80 spacecraft. In the coming days, a decision will be made on the readiness of the payload of the Express-80 satellite for operation, " the video says.
As specified in the ISS, the payload includes 38 active transponders for communication and broadcasting in the C -, Ku-and L-frequency bands.
The Proton-M launch vehicle with the Express-80 and Express-103 satellites launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome on July 31, 2020. Then they were put into the target geotransfer orbit with a height of 54.9 thousand km due to several inclusions of the propulsion system of the upper stage "Breeze-M".
The flight to the geostationary orbit with a height of 35,786 kilometers was carried out with the help of its own electric jet engines SPD-100V (developed by the OKB "Torch", Kaliningrad).
About satellites
"Express-80" and "Express-103" were built by order of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Space Communications" on the basis of the unified medium-class platform "Express-1000N" developed by "Information Satellite Systems". The company's partner for the payload of new satellites is traditionally the European company Thales Alenia Space.
The devices are designed to provide fixed and mobile communication services, digital TV and radio broadcasting, high-speed Internet access, as well as data transmission in Russia and the CIS countries in the C-, Ku - and L-bands. The payload will include 38 (for Express-80) and 37 (for Express-103) main transponders. The active life of the devices is 15 years.
As previously reported by the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Space Communications", the satellites "Express-80" and "Express-103" are planned to be put into operation in January-February 2021.