Ekspress MD1

Ekspress MD1 was a geostationary communications satellite developed by Khrunichev on the Yakhta platform. It is a small, three axis stabilized, platform designed for direct geostationary orbit and as such it lacked an apogee kick motor. It was designed to support a bigger, heavier satellite on top of it and serve as its rocket adapter. For its companion, Ekspress AM4, it was specially reinforced to carry the 2,560 kg (5,640 lb) on top.[4]

The satellite weighted 1,140 kg (2,510 lb) at launch, had a power production capacity of 1300 W with a design life of 10 years.[4][1] Its payload was made by Thales Alenia Space and was composed of 8 × 40 MHz C band and 1 × 1 MHz L band transponders, for a total satellite bandwidth of 321 MHz for mass of 225 kg (496 lb).[4][3] It was designed to provide mobile presidential and governmental communications, digital TV and Radio broadcasting services, Internet access, data transfer, video conferencing in Russia and Asia from the 80° East orbital slot.[1][4]

Ekspress MD1 was heavily based on the KazSat-1. While smaller than the other satellites of the Ekspress constellation, it enabled RSCC to have a second local supplier after its traditional contractor ISS Reshetnev. The structure was designed around a cylindrical structure that enabled stacking of another satellite on top of the Ekspress MD1 and acted as an adaptor to the Briz-M stage for both spacecraft.[7]

While successfully commissioned, it failed to reach even half of its design life.[1] It had a twin satellite, Ekspress MD2 which failed to reach orbit.[7] As of 2016, RSCC has not ordered any further satellite from Khrunichev, relying instead on foreign suppliers like Airbus Defence and Space.[5]

Within the Russian Federal Space Program for 2006-2015, RSCC awarded on 2006 a contract for two satellites, Ekspress MD1 and Ekspress MD2 to Khrunichev.[2][3] It also signed a separate contract with Alcatel Alenia Space for the supply of the payloads. The twin spacecraft would be based on the Yakhta platform and the lessons from the KazSat-1 satellite.[2]

On April 2007, RSCC Acting Director General Yuri Izmailov stated that Ekspress MD1 and Ekspress AM4 were the company to priority and would launch by December 2007.[8] In an April 29, 2008 interview, Mr Izmailov stated that the Ekspress MD1 was expected to fly in 2008.[9]

On September 10, 2008, Khrunichev stated that the satellite production was in full swing. The solutions from the lessons learned from the anomalies of KazSat-1 and Monitor-E had been implemented. And the satellite had gone through electrical testing and was going into acceptance testing.[10]

On January 26, 2009, the assembly of the integration of the spacecraft with Ekspress AM4 and the Briz-M stage was started at the Baikonur launch site.[11] On February 6, the Proton-M/Briz-M stack was certified for roll out to the Site 200/39 launch pad.[12] On February 11, at 00:03 UTC, the rocket successfully launched both spacecraft directly to geostationary orbit.[3]

On May 12, Ekspress MD1 was successfully commissioned into service in the Ekspress constellation.[13] On the same year, the satellite was used for the first distribution of the multiplex programs compulsory under the Federal Target Program Development of TV & Radio broadcasting in the Russian Federation for 2009 – 2015.[14]

On July 4, 2013 Ekspress MD1 failed on orbit. At just 4 years, 4 months, 23 days, it failed to achieve even half of its design life.[1] In February 2014, RSCC was able to collect the 857 million rubles insurance payment on the failed satellite.[6]

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