Ekspress-103 (Russian: Экспресс-103 meaning Express-103) is a Russian communications satellite which was launched in 2020. Part of the Ekspress series of geostationary communications satellites, it is owned and operated by the RSCC Space Communications.
| Names | Экспресс-103 Express-103 |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Communications |
| Operator | RSCC Space Communications (RSCC) |
| COSPAR ID | 2020-053A  |
| SATCAT no. | 45985 |
| Website | eng |
| Mission duration | 15 years (planned) 3 years, 10 months and 27 days (in progress) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Ekspress-103 |
| Spacecraft type | Ekspress |
| Bus | Ekspress-1000H |
| Manufacturer | ISS Reshetnev (bus) Thales Alenia Space (payload) |
| Launch mass | 2,050 kg (4,520 lb) |
| Dry mass | 512 kg (1,129 lb) |
| Power | 6.300 kW |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 30 July 2020, 21:25:19 UTC[2] |
| Rocket | Proton-M / Briz-M |
| Launch site | Baikonur, Site 200/39 |
| Contractor | Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center |
| Entered service | 25 March 2021 [1] |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Geostationary orbit |
| Longitude | 96.5° East (2020–present) |
| Transponders | |
| Band | 37transponders: 16C-band 20Ku-band 1L-band |
| Coverage area | Russia, Southeast Asia |
Thales Alenia Space, constructed Ekspress-103 payload, and ISS Reshetnev constructed the satellite bus which was based on the Ekspress-1000N. The satellite has a mass of 2,050 kg (4,520 lb), provides 6.3 kilowatts to its payload, and a planned operational lifespan of 15 years. The satellite carried 37 transponders: 16 operating in the C-band of the electromagnetic spectrum, 20 in the Ku-band and 1 in the L-band.[3]
The satellite is designed to provide TV and radio broadcasting services, data transmission, multimedia services, telephony, and mobile communications.[3]
Ekspress-103 was originally to be launched in 2018, but was delayed to 2020. It used a Proton-M / Briz-M launch vehicle to be placed in a supersynchronous geostationary transfer orbit (16,581 km x 5,4811 km x 0.64°) as was Ekspress-80 (16,593 km x 54,812 km x 0.62°).[4]
The Ekspress-103 satellite entered in service at orbital position 96.5° East on 25 March 2021, where it replaced Ekspress-AM33.[1]
