Astrium has been awarded a contract by the Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) to build the Express-AMU1/Eutelsat 36C satellite. The Eurostar E3000 bus spacecraft will be placed into orbit by the Russian launcher Proton in 2015 and will be operated over 36 degrees East.The Express-AMU1/Eutelsat 36C will have 70 transponders to provide broadcast services in the European part of the Russian Federation in Ku and Ka bands and for broadcast markets developed by Eutelsat in sub-Saharan Africa. The multibeam Ka-band antennas feature a highly innovative array fed reflector antenna technology developed by Astrium. Express-AMU1/Eutelsat 36C will have a launch mass of 5,700 kg and a spacecraft power in excess of 15 kW. Its design lifetime is 15 years in orbit.
Artists impression of Express-AMU1/Eutelsat 36C. Courtesy: Astrium
