Yamal Credit - USAF Phillips Laboratory Media Gallery

The Yamal communications satellite bus was developed by RKK Energia for Gazprom. Due to their compact size and low mass, Yamal spacecraft could be launched two at a time by a Proton booster.

Initial plans were to deploy two vehicles, one at 75 degrees E and one at 19.50 West, in a 1997 launch. This was delayed to 1999, but they were successful and followed by a second pair in 2003. Yamal was the smallest of the proposed post-Soviet geosynchronous spacecraft with a total mass of 1.3-1.4 metric tons, including a payload mass of up to 310 kg. The box-like spacecraft bus carried two solar arrays capable of producing 2.4 kW at the end of the 10-year design life. A single primary dish antenna supported the nine planned C-band transponders. A combination of liquid and ion engines were used for spacecraft attitude and orbit maintenance. The spacecraft as finally flown was equipped with 12 C-band transponders built by Space Systems/Loral and Fakel SPD-70 plasma thrusters for inclination control.

Typical orbit: 35840 km circular orbit, .1 deg inclination. Mass: 1,360 kg (2,990 lb). Associated Launch Vehicle: Proton 8K82K / 11S861-01.

• 1999 September 6 - Yamal 102 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Vehicle: Proton 8K82K / 11S861-01. Perigee: 35,772 km (22,227 mi). Apogee: 35,802 km (22,246 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min.

  Geosynchronous communications satellite. Stationed at 90 deg E. As of 5 September 2001 located at 89.85 deg E drifting at 0.005 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 89.78E drifting at 0.010W degrees per day.

• 1999 September 6 - Yamal 101 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Vehicle: Proton 8K82K / 11S861-01. Perigee: 35,503 km (22,060 mi). Apogee: 36,298 km (22,554 mi). Inclination: 2.40 deg. Period: 1,441.90 min.

  The first two Yamal communications satellites were placed into a 197 km x 36,311 km x 49.3 degree transfer orbit The DM-2M fourth stage made two successful burns, placing the satellites in circular 36,000 km geosynchronous orbits. Yamal 101 reportedly ran into problems after it was deployed. RKK Energia built the new Yamal satellites for AO Gazcom of Moscow, a joint venture of RKKE and RAO Gazprom, the Russian natural gas monopoly. The two satellites will support internal communications for RAO Gazprom. Positioned in geosynchronous orbit at 89 deg E in 1999. As of 30 August 2001 located at 112.86 deg E drifting at 1.484 deg W per day. As of 2007 Mar 10 located at 42.96E drifting at 1.484W degrees per day.

• 2003 November 24 - Yamal-200 KA-1 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Vehicle: Proton 8K82K / 11S861-01. Mass: 1,360 kg (2,990 lb). Perigee: 35,776 km (22,230 mi). Apogee: 35,799 km (22,244 mi). Inclination: 0.00 deg. Period: 1,436.10 min.

  Two geosynchronous communications satellites launched for Gazprom. As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 49.00E drifting at 0.012E degrees per day.

• 2003 November 24 - Yamal-200 KA-2 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Vehicle: Proton 8K82K / 11S861-01. Mass: 1,320 kg (2,910 lb). Perigee: 35,777 km (22,230 mi). Apogee: 35,797 km (22,243 mi). Inclination: 0.0300 deg. Period: 1,436.13 min.

  As of 2007 Mar 11 located at 90.00E drifting at 0.016W degrees per day.

• 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.