Ekspress AM4R

Ekspress AM4R (Russian: Экспресс-АМ4Р meaning Express AM4R)[3] was a Russian communications satellite intended for operation by the State Company for Satellite Communications. Constructed as a replacement for Ekspress AM4, which was left unusable after the upper stage of the rocket carrying it malfunctioned, Ekspress AM4R was also lost due to a launch failure.[4]

Astrium, which had become part of Airbus Defence and Space by the time of the satellite's launch, constructed Ekspress AM4R, which was based on the Eurostar 3000 satellite bus.[5] It was identical in design to Ekspress AM4, with a mass of 5,775 kilograms (12,732 lb) and a planned operational lifespan of fifteen years. The satellite carried sixty-three transponders: thirty operating in the C band of the electromagnetic spectrum, twenty eight in the Ku band, two in the Ka band and three in the L band. It was to have been the largest and most powerful satellite in the Ekspress constellation.[1]

Khrunichev was contracted to launch Ekspress AM4R, using a Proton-M/Briz-M rocket - the same configuration that had failed to deploy Ekspress AM4. The launch took place from Site 200/39 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, at 21:42 UTC on 15 May 2014. Shortly after launch the rocket was reported to have encountered a problem during third stage flight, and as a result the satellite failed to reach orbit.[2]