New Express-80 and Express-103 Communications and Broadcasting Satellites Reaches Target Orbit

Baikonour Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, August 3, 2020--On July 31, 2020, two communications satellites, Express-80 and Express-103, ordered by the Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC), were launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome. The new satellites were put into the target geo-transfer orbit and later will be placed in the geostationary orbit at 80° and 96.5° E.The satellites are intended to provide fixed and mobile services; digital TV and radio broadcasting; high-speed Internet access, as well as data transmission across the Russian Federation and abroad. The full-scale functioning is scheduled to commence in January and February 2021.

“With two newly-launched satellites, Express-80 and Express-103, the throughput of our constellation is now up by a quarter,” said Yuri Prokhorov, RSCC acting Director General. “It is crucial for RSCC that these spacecrafts in orbital slots centered over the Russian Federation are already demanded by our customers. This will allow telecom operators to transfer their networks from foreign spacecraft and provide domestic subscribers with the most advanced digital communications and broadcasting services, including Internet access for maritime and aerial customers.”

The vehicles were manufactured by the Russia’s leading aerospace enterprise, JSC ISS Reshetnev, in collaboration with its European partner, Thales Alenia Space.

Today, with a fleet of 10 geostationary satellites operating in the C-, Ku-, Ka- and L-bands, RSCC boasts the Russia’s largest orbital constellation. Advantageously located on an arc of a geostationary orbit from 14° W to 140° E, this orbital constellation enables RSCC to provide services to clients in 58 countries on all continents.

RSCC is the Russian GEO satellite operator with global coverage. RSCC provides a full range of communications and broadcasting services via its own terrestrial telecom facilities and satellite constellation, which consist of  modern Express-AM, Express-AT, Express-AMU type satellites; e.g. video distribution and contribution, DTH, DSNG, broadband Internet access, IP trunking and cellular backhaul, maritime mobility, SCADA, enterprise networks connectivity and other. The company operates various regional satellite TV distribution networks and corporate VSAT networks for fixed and mobility customers. RSCC satellites provide unique coverage and connectivity throughout EMEA, Latin America and Asia.

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