An ILS Proton launch of the Yamal 401 satellite. Photo: Roscosmos

[Via Satellite 12-15-2014] International Launch Services (ILS) has successfully launched Gazprom Space Systems’ Yamal 401 satellite aboard a Proton launch vehicle. The launch, which took place from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on Dec. 14, was the 400th mission for Proton.

ISS Reshetnev built the Yamal 401 satellite on the Express 2000-A platform in collaboration with Thales Alenia Space, which was responsible for the repeater, antennas and parts of the satellite platform. Thales Alenia Space also supported Assembly, Integration and Tests (AIT) in Siberia and Baikonur, and built the ground control center for the satellite. Yamal 401 carries 36 Ku-band transponders and 17 C-band transponders to cover all of Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) from its 90 degrees east orbital position.

To place the orbital unit (the Breeze M upper stage and Yamal 401 satellite) into a sub-orbital trajectory, the first three stages of the Proton vehicle used a standard ascent profile. Then using a four-burn Breeze M flight design, ILS reports the Breeze M performed its planned mission maneuvers to propel the orbital unit to a circular parking orbit, then to an intermediate orbit, followed by a transfer orbit, and lastly into a Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO). Once in GEO, the satellite successfully separated from the Breeze M.