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Article Number: 11F647M. Class: Communications. Destination: Geosynchronous Orbit. Nation: Russia. Agency: MOM. Manufacturer: Reshetnev. Ekran-M provided unique direct television broadcasting service to community users in the central Russian Federation region (Zone 3). The original Ekran spacecraft were upgraded to the Ekran-M model in the second half of the 1980's. All spacecraft in the series were positioned near 99 degrees E and transmitted directly to simple individual or communal receivers at 0.7 GHz with a powerful 200 W transponder. The Ekran-M spacecraft weighed approximately two metric tons and carried two transponders. The solar arrays were augmented in comparison to Ekran to provide 1.8 kW of power. Although the original Ekran spacecraft were exceptionally short-lived, the Ekran-M markedly surpassing the cited 9-year design life. A modified Ekran-M, called Ekran-D, was proposed to permit digital transmissions of a broader assortment of information. Typical orbit: 36511 km x 36616 km at .7 to 5.1 degrees inclin. Mass: 1,976 kg (4,356 lb). Associated Launch Vehicle: Proton 8K82K / 11S861.
Ekran-M Chronology
- 1990 August 9 - Ekran-M s/n 14L - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Vehicle: Proton 8K82K / 11S861. FAILURE: Third stage failure. Mass: 1,970 kg (4,340 lb).
- 2001 April 7 - Ekran-M No. 18 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Vehicle: Proton 8K82M. Mass: 1,970 kg (4,340 lb). Perigee: 35,771 km (22,227 mi). Apogee: 35,801 km (22,245 mi). Inclination: 1.10 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min.
Direct Broadcasting satellite. Maiden flight of new version of Proton. Launch delayed from August 2000, March 16 and April 6. Ekran-M No. 18 was a UHF television broadcasting satellite which was to be stationed at 99 deg E to provided television service to the Russian Far East. The satellite had a launch mass of around 2100 kg and was to replace the recently failed Ekran-M 15 that had been operating since October 1992 at the 105 deg-E longitude orbital slot. The improved 3-stage Proton launch vehicle, with a new digital flight control system and enhanced first stage engines, delivered its payload section to a suborbital trajectory at 0356 GMT. The Briz-M upper stage then fired to enter a 200 km parking orbit. It appears that only two more burns were used to reach geostationary orbit: one at around 0440 GMT to enter a 200 x 35800 km GTO, after which the Briz-M toroidal drop tank was jettisoned, and one at around 1000 GMT, to circularize the orbit at geostationary altitude. Briz-M reportedly separated from its payload at 1031 GMT. Ekran was expected to reach
its 99 deg E final location on around April 24. As of 5 September 2001 located at 99.27 deg E drifting at 0.009 deg E per day. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 99.30E drifting at 0.005W degrees per day.
Bibliography and Further Reading - Kaesmann, Ferdinand, et. al., Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, "Proton - Development of A Russian Launch Vehicle", 1998, Volume 51, page 3.
- Vladimirov, A, Novosti kosmonavtiki, "Tablitsa zapuskov RN 'Proton' i 'Proton K'", 1998, Issue 10, page 25.
- McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page, Harvard University, 1997-present. Jonathan McDowell's complete on-line listing of all objects orbited and over 20,000 rocket launches Accessed at: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.
- Novosti Kosmonavtiki, "Rossiya. V polyote 'Kosmos-2345'", 1997, Issue 17, page 31.
- McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Report (Internet Newsletter), Harvard University, Weekly, 1989 to Present. Essential internet newsletter recording worldwide weekly space events. Accessed at: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.
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