Last minute changes to Yamal satellite launches, including orbit points

Published: 9/13/1999

On 6th September 1999, a Proton rocket successfully deployed two Yamal-100 communications satellites belonging to Gazprom (www.concise.org. 26th August 1999). With a dispersed network of pumping stations and other facilities all over the region, a reliable communications system operating in real time is essential. So far, Gazprom has leased government communications channels provided by Horizont satellites. In recent years, Russia has not been able to finance the launching of new Horizont series satellites, gradually reducing available satellites leaving the Horizont network inadequate to serve traditional users. In 1994, Gazprom forged an agreement with RKK Energia on the development of the Yamal communications satellite, using some critical western components to meet international requirements. To manage this project, Gazprom and RKK Energia established the Gazkom company. RKK Energia remained responsible for development of the space platform for the Yamal system, while Gazkom was responsible for the installation and maintenance of ground communication facilities. On 8th February 1996, Gazkom and Space Systems/Loral signed an agreement for the joint development of communications systems for the Yamal-series satellites. This included production and sales of new satellites that might be developed on the base of the Yamal platform. These would be developed by RKK Energia and funded by Gazprom. At the time, funding of the Yamal project was estimated to be $78m: roughly half of that charged for western satellites of the same capacity. The Yamal-100, launched this month, is the first Russian satellite featuring the so-called "panel design", in which pressurised instruments and equipment are located inside of the non-pressurised compartment. The Yamal-series satellites are equipped with Space Systems/Loral communications systems of 10 transponders each. The overall capacity of the Yamal-100 satellite is 5000 phone channels, enough to provide 300,000 users with phone services. The guaranteed lifetime for the Yamal-100 is ten years. By comparison, the Horizont-series satellites have a lifetime of only three years and only six transponders, with much lower capacity than those on the Yamal-100. The deployment of the first two Yamal-100s, which was originally planned for mid-1997, was postponed for 10 months, owing to technical problems compounded by financial difficulties. Initial plans were to put both satellites into a point of 75-degree east longitude. However, in 1997, Gazkom and Lockheed-Martin Intersputnik joint venture had a dispute over the rights for this point. Intersputnik, one of the joint venture founders, claimed that the rights for this point had been allocated to it before the Yamal project began. After prolonged negotiations, Gazkom conceded defeat. In return, the company was granted rights for two points, 80 degrees east longitude and 19.5 degrees, both being former points for the Horizont-series satellites, by the State Committee of the Russian Federation for Communications and Informatics(Goskomsvyaz). From the point of 80 degrees east longitude, a satellite into geostationary orbit can cover not only the whole Russian territory, but also certain countries in the Middle East, Central and Southeast Asia. At 19.5 degrees, it can work with users in the eastern part of the North and South America, as well as in all countries of Europe and Africa. As a result, the two Yamal satellites in those two points would be able to broadcast virtually worldwide. However, on 6th September 1999 - the launch date for the two Yamal-100s - it was announced that the satellites were to be placed into points of 49 and 90 degrees of east longitude, the points for Horizont-series satellites. The Yamals were moved to these points, following a last-minute agreement between Gazkom and Goskomsvyaz, in a bid to make sure that Russia retained the locations after 2000, when they could be lost under international agreement if Russia did not have operable satellites on them (www.concise.org 9th March 1999). To increase launch reliability the older - but well-proven - version of the launch vehicle was used: the Proton-K. Given the lower payload capacity of the Proton-K and boosting block DM-2M, a decrease in the total weight was needed. The satellites were therefore reduced in weight from 1360 to 1300 and 1210 kg respectively. After the separation from the boosting block, one of the Yamal-100Ms did not respond to the command from the ground. Although the solar panels had unfolded, they did not supply the power to the on-board computers. If the problem cannot be resolved, the satellite will be marked as "lost". It is likely that the second satellite, which seems to have been functioning faultlessly, will be moved to the point of 90 degrees east longitude.

Article ID: 855