At the extended Panel of the Russian Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications, Yuri Izmailov summarized the RSCC’ activity in 2007 and told about the company’s plans for a middle-term outlook

13.02 : 2008

Addressing the extended meeting of the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications of Russia on 12 February 2008  Yuri Izmailov,  RSCC’ Acting Director General, spoke about the main outcomes of the company’s activities in 2007 as well as of the plans of the company’s development for the middle-term outlook.

RSCC is the state satellite communications operator of Russia and takes the sixth place among the world satellite communications operators in terms of  orbital slots and frequency resources. The company  continuously develops the Russian satellite constellation with the aim of providing the customers in the total territory of Russia with reliable and qualitative telecommunications services as well as of strengthening the positions of Russia on the world market.

Following  the Federal Space program for 2006 till 2015, the new Russian telecommunications satellite Express-AM33 was launched from the Baikonur Space Center on 28 January 2008. After completing the  tests late February – early March 2008 the Express-AM33 satellite will be put into operation within the RSCC orbital constellation. The new spacecraft is designed to provide services of digital TV&Radio, broadband Internet access, data transmission, video conferencing, multi-service VSAT networks as well as mobile presidential and governmental communications.

RSCC secures generating the federal TV&Radio packages in MPEG-2/DVB standard and their distribution for all five broadcasting zones of the Russian Federation. Besides, in order to reduce the digital broadcasting costs and to increase the number of transmitted programs RSCC has developed a new complex of  MPEG-4 program generation.  Using  the  MPEG-4/AVC  standard will enable increasing the number of  digital programs transmitted via one 36 MHz  transponder by 2.5 to 3 times which results in concernment of TV&Radio broadcasters in increasing  the territory and volume of broadcasting.

In 2007 RSCC provided of about 6 thousand Russian schools of general education in 62 regions with global Internet access via spacecraft in the context of the Federal Space program. RSCC established of about 100 satellite communications channels and tested  nearly 6 thousand VSAT stations all over  the country in order to implement this project. Such a project is unprecedented one for Russia.

In order to satisfy the needs of the growing satellite telecommunications sector in Russia as well as to strengthen the state positions on the world market minimum 15 advanced spacecraft are planned to be manufactured and delivered into orbit till 2015. The program also envisages expanding the Russian satellite coverage areas at 40 West and 175 East till 2015 as well as rearrangement of the satellites.  It will secure the necessary backup within the constellation and  increase the volume of communications services, as well as provide the global coverage of the presidential and governmental communications.

Thus, implementing the measures in the framework of the Federal Space program of Russia  till 2015 will in full promote meeting the demands in the satellite communications services of Russian customers. In addition, the approach chosen will permit RSCC to successfully solve the problems in the field of satellite communications associated with meeting the needs of the public management, the country’s defense, the State security and  enforcement of law in emergency situations and in state of emergency.