MOSCOW. Aug 9 (Interfax) - The Express MD2 satellite, which failed to reach the orbit, was built for television and radio broadcast and telecom services of MTS, MegaFon, VimpelCom, Rostelecom, RTRS and some other operators.
The loss of this satellite will delay the offering of new services and the broadening of existent ones, the Russian Communications and Mass Media Ministry reports.
For instance, the satellite was supposed to broadcast a localized digital television multiplex in the Russian Far East, which is currently tuned to a digital multiplex localized for another zone.
The ministry said though that the loss of the satellite would have no effect on the rates of introduction of digital television in Russia. The process is supposed to end by 2015.
Express AM3 is currently transmitting analog broadcasts and the first digital multiplex. Other satellites of the Space Communications federal state unitary enterprise provide mobile satellite communication, while services of cell phone operators and providers are rendered with land channels and transmission stations.
The lost satellite cannot be substituted with foreign ones because it was built to solve a number of state missions.
"Russian clients are not considering the possible use of foreign telecom satellites. New satellites will render services Express MD2 was expected to render. No less than eight satellites will be launched before 2015," the ministry said.
A failure of the Proton-M rocket's Briz-M booster on August 6 prevented the delivery of Russia's Express MD2 and Indonesian Telkom-3 to the due orbit. The rocket was launched from Baikonur. The damage is preliminary estimated at 5-6 billion rubles.