Express-AM33 satellite has logged almost 32m km after changing orbital slot
August 17, 2021
Specialists of the Ops Dept of the Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) orbital constellation have completed the translation of the Express-AM33 satellite from the orbital position of 96.5° E to the 11° W slot.
To translate the Express-AM33 to the required position, the satellite had made 120 orbits around the Earth at an altitude of 35,880 km, covering 31.7 million km in the process. The most difficult and precise work was performed by 41 employees of the RSCC Mission Control Centers located in Moscow, Zheleznogorsk, and Dubna Space Communication Centers and the Vladimir Satellite Communication Station. For four months, specialists provided round-the-clock control of the satellite, updating its trajectory as needed. From August 17, 2021 the Express-AM33 has been ready for operation. Now, in most of the Atlantic Ocean, the crews and passengers of sea-going ships have obtained access to the Internet and communication services, provided even in the most extreme conditions.
“69 percent of the Earth’s surface is controlled by our orbital constellation of 12 geostationary satellites. They are maneuverable enough to swiftly address the problems posed by the market. Should our clients want to get communication services right in the middle of the ocean, such services will be available to them.
According to surveys, contemplating a contract and selecting a vessel, up to 92 percent of seamen stress as one of decision-making factors the availability of an affordable, reliable connectivity, including Internet. They need that to be able to communicate with their families and relatives without any constraints. That’s why we have brought the Express-AM33 satellite to a new orbital position from the Eastern Hemisphere to the Western, so that passenger and cargo vehicles, as well as yachts on cross-Atlantic routes, could use the communications services made available by Russian Satellite Communications Company. And on the best terms, too”, emphasizes Alexey Volin, General Director of RSCC.