LAUNCH CENTER

Success

Thu Sep 26 1996

Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center

Ekspress 2

Launch Successful

LAUNCH PREVIEW

Launch Time

(5:50 PM UTC)

Launch Window Start

(5:50 PM UTC)

Launch Window End

(5:50 PM UTC)

RECOVERY OVERVIEW

Location

No Recovery Specified

Type

No Recovery Specified

Rocket Details

Name:

Proton-K/DM-2M

Description:

The Proton-K was a Russian, previously Soviet, carrier rocket derived from the earlier Proton. It was built by Khrunichev, and launched from sites 81 and 200 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

MISSION OVERVIEW

Type: Communications
The Ekspress series spacecraft for Data transmission, TV & radio-broadcasting, communications, Internet, video-conference closely resembled the Gals spacecraft and shared a similar spacecraft bus. Ekspress was to replace the widely used Gorizont spacecraft, and plans called for deployments at 13 locations (40 degrees, 53 degrees, 80 degrees, 90 degrees, 96.5 degrees, 99 degrees, 103 degrees, 140 degrees, 145 degrees, 205 degrees, 322.5 degrees, 346 degrees, and 349 degrees, all East longitude) for domestic needs and to support the Intersputnik Telecommunications Association.

COMPLEX OVERVIEW

Location

Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

Pad

200/39 (200L)