OREANDA-NEWS. January 10, 2013. Payloads developed and manufactured by the French division of Thales Alenia Space for the communications spacecraft Express-AT2 and Yamal-401 have arrived safely at Academician M.F. Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems.

ISS-Reshetnev is the prime contractor responsible for the manufacture of telecommunications satellites Express-AT2 and Yamal-401. The company subcontracted work on the payloads for these spacecraft to its long-standing partner Thales Alenia Space. Having arrived at ISS-Reshetnev, repeater systems and antennas for the two satellites are currently undergoing incoming inspection.

The Express-AT2 spacecraft is being built around a middle-class Express-1000K platform for the national operator RSCC (Russian Satellite Communications Company). It will employ one antenna and 16 Ku-band transponders.

Yamal-401, based on a heavy-class Express-2000A satellite platform, is being manufactured for Gazprom Space Systems. The spacecraft’s payload includes 3 antennas as well as 53 Ku- and C-band transponders.

Both satellites are intended to provide communications, television broadcasting and data transmission services in the territory of Russia and its neighboring countries. Express-AT2 and Yamal-401 are due to launch in 2013.