MOSCOW. May 14 (Interfax-AVN) - Information about the current operation and development of the orbital satellite constellation of the wholly state-owned company Space Communications (Kosmicheskaya Svyaz) is offered to visitors of the Communication-Expocomm-2009 show in Moscow.
Under the federal space program for 2006-15, Space Communications plans to put into orbit at least 15 modern satellites of various series, says a report posted on the company's website on Thursday.
One of the nearest launches is set for 2012, when the first heavy satellite, being built by the Khrunichev space research and production center, jointly with the European concern EADS Astrium, will be sent into space to operate on the basis of the Eurostar 3000 satellite platform. The satellite will allow TV and radio broadcasts, transmit data, perform multimedia services, and provide telephone and other kinds of communication. Its service life is 15 years at a minimum, the report says. The satellite weighs 5.7 tonnes, it says.