[Satellite TODAY Insider 12-02-10] The Russian Intersputnik International Organization of Space Communications has approved its 2011 finance plans related to activities and development on various satellite projects, the Russian Satellite Communications Co. (RSCC) announced Dec. 1.
    Intersputnik Director General Vadim Belov said the organization met its 2010 finance targets, which enables the group to support and implement a number of satellite projects with satellite operators Spacecom and ABS to use Intersputnik’s orbit and frequency resources at 16 degrees West and 78 degrees East.
    The committee also approved Intersputnik’s initiative to improve strategic cooperation with RSCC so that Intersputnik could help expand Russia’s satellite fleet. The plan is supported by cooperation between Intersputnik and the Telecommunications Administration of the Russian Federation with further projects and initiatives beginning next year.
    “Tentatively, Ukraine, India, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Russia are now expressing interest in joining this project. The directorate also has approached major satellite system manufacturers and financing and investment groups and suggested that they consider participating in the project as well. After reviewing this information, the operations committee instructed the directorate to continue working on the project,” Belov said at a Moscow meeting arranged by RSCC.
    RSCC has been a driving force in the Russian space sector’s rapid growth over the past year. The company is investing about $1 billion in new satellites in a campaign to boost the operator’s capacity from 283 transponders to 680 transponders by 2015. “The RSCC investment program will bring huge amount of new capacity to the market. Two of those eight spacecraft are direct broadcast satellites that will open the door to wider penetration of DTH services to the Russian population,” CFO Dennis Pivnyuk told Satellite TODAY Insider.
    RSCC’s Express-AM4, AM5, AM6 and MD2 satellites are under construction, with a total manufacturing investment of $700 million. The next stage of the development program includes the Express-AM7, AM8, AT1 and AT2 satellites. RSCC has issued $270 million in contracts with Thales Alenia Space and ISS for the procurement and launch of these satellites.

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