Federal State Unitary Enterprise Space Communications: history and development prospects, satellite constellation

Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Space Communications” (GP KS), eng. Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) is a domestic state-owned satellite communications operator, official website https://www.rscc.ru/. Activity for more than 50 years:
It owns the largest constellation of geostationary satellites in the country – 12 devices, as well as 5 ground-based space communication centers located in different regions of the country. This allows the RSCC to provide global coverage and provide all kinds of satellite communication services not only to Russian consumers, but also to organizations from 58 foreign countries.

The history of development

The history of FSUE “Space Communications” began in 1957, with the launch of the first Soviet satellite into earth orbit. In the 1960s, satellite communications were actively developed in the Soviet Union.
So, in 1965, the Molniya-1 satellite was launched into a highly elliptical orbit, with the help of which experimental broadcasts of television programs and telephone sessions were organized. And after 2 years, 20 Orbita ground stations were operating in the country, which made it possible to make television broadcasts via satellite regular.

November 4, 1967 – the day of the start of permanent television broadcasting through the satellite system “Orbita” – is considered the birthday of the RSCC. Although the official order for the formation of the “Space Communications Station” was issued by the Soviet Ministry of Communications a year later. And the organization received the status of a federal state unitary enterprise in April 2001.

Important moments from the history of the RSCC:

• 1976 – launch of the world’s first direct broadcast satellite “Ekran”;
• 1980 – organization of satellite broadcasts of the Moscow Olympics;
• 1998 – the beginning of cooperation with the domestic manufacturer of space technology NPO PM and the French company Alcatel for the production and provision of payloads for satellites of the new Express-A format;
• 2000 – launch of two Express-A satellites into orbit, the beginning of the renewal of the Russian satellite constellation;
• 2009 – at the Paris International Summit on Satellite Communications, the RSCC received the status of the best regional satellite operator of the year;
• 2014 – 2015 – launch of seven new satellites of the Express-A series into orbit, increase in the resource of the domestic satellite constellation by 2.5 times;
• 2017 – WTA included FSUE “Space Systems” in the top five fastest growing teleports in the world and in the TOP-20 of the world’s largest satellite operators.

Currently, GP KS is already in the TOP-10 largest operators in the world. The company’s management states that its strategic goal is to take pride of place in the top five global satellite companies. And this goal is quite achievable, since today FSUE “Space Systems” is a provider of satellite communications services for 58 different countries of the world. Download the FSUE Space Systems Innovative Development
Program: FSUE Space Communications Development Program

Basic information about the company

Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Space Communications” operates on the basis of state licenses:

• No. 928K – for the implementation of space activities;
• 181604 – for the provision of communication services on the territory of the Russian Federation;
• 140430 – for the provision of communication services for on-air broadcasting in the territory of the Russian Federation.

By the way! The full list of the organization’s valid licenses can be found on its official website, in the “Company” section – https://www.rscc.ru/about/#documents.

To maintain the operation of ground stations and the construction of new facilities, the RSCC also carries out construction and design work. To this end, the company joined the ranks of self-regulatory organizations NP ProektSvyaz Telecom and NP StroySvyaz Telecom. These organizations have the necessary permits for design and capital construction work.

Important! The authorized capital of FSUE “Space Systems” is 100,097,000 rubles.

The head office of the GP KS is located in Moscow at the address Nikoloyamsky per., 3a, building 1. In addition to it, the company has 5 branches (they are also space communication centers) and a technical center. Their addresses:

• technical center Shabolovka – Moscow, st. Shabolovka, 37 building 6;
• CKS Dubna – Moscow region, Dubna, st. Aleksandrovka, 43;
• CKS Zheleznogorsk – Krasnoyarsk Territory, Zheleznogorsk, st. Krasnoyarskaya, d. 4A;
• CKS Bear Lakes – Moscow region, Schelkovsky district, village. Bear Lakes, p / o “Bear Lakes”;
• CKS Skolkovo – Moscow region, Odintsovo district, village. Marfino, Skolkovskoe shosse, 1;
• CKS Khabarovsk – Khabarovsk Territory, Khabarovsk district, with. Sergeevka, 21st km of Sarapul highway, No. 7.

By the way! You can check the phone numbers of the RSCC branches and subdivisions of the organization on its official website, in the “Contacts” section – https://www.rscc.ru/about/#contacts.

Since June 2021, Aleksey Konstantinovich Volin has been the CEO of FSUE Kosmicheskaya Svyaz. Prior to his appointment, he served in the Russian government for about 10 years as Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Telecommunications and Mass Media. Volin’s main task during this period was the transfer of Russian television broadcasting from analog to digital format.
The governing body of the organization also includes:

• First Deputy General Director – Yury Valentinovich Prokhorov;
• First Deputy General Director – Ganin Alexander Anatolyevich;
• Deputy General Director for Development and Operation of Communication Systems – Evgeniy Buidinov;
• director for the operation of the orbital constellation – Gruzintsev Evgeny Vladimirovich;
• director of the shopping center Shabolovka – Yakovlev Alexander Viktorovich;
• director of the CKS Dubna – Duka Alexander Petrovich;
• Director of CSK Bear Lakes – Artemyev Valery Ivanovich;
• director of the CKS Khabarovsk – Kovalenko Viktor Vasilyevich;
• director of the CKS Skolkovo – Krylov Alexander Mikhailovich;
• Director of the CKS Zheleznogorsk – Muratov Rais Vasilyevich.

Most of the representatives of the senior staff of the RSCC have a specialized education and extensive experience in the field of telecommunications and satellite communications, government awards and academic degrees. Download the charter of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise Space Communications:
Charter of the GP KS

List of services provided by FSUE “Space Systems”

The list of FSUE “Space Systems” services includes:

• digital television and radio broadcasting – federal and direct broadcasting, organization of TV hauls, provision of a technological platform for broadcasters;
• communication services – provision of a satellite resource, including broadband satellite access, leasing of satellite and terrestrial communication channels, VSAT network, communication services on ships;
• control and management of satellites ;
• organization of access to broadband Internet .

The company’s satellite capacities allow it to provide services not only throughout Russia, but also in other countries of the world. And the VSAT network built by the RSCC fully covers the waters of the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, the Mediterranean, North, Japan, Caspian, Baltic, Okhotsk and all northern seas washing Russia, including the Northern Sea Route.

satellite constellation

Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Space Systems” owns the largest satellite constellation in Russia, consisting of 12 vehicles. The geostationary satellites of the RSCC operate in the C, Ku, Ka and L bands. up to 140° E, which allows them to cover the entire territory of the Russian Federation, as well as the countries of the CIS, the Middle East, Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, Africa, Australia and North and South America.

Ground infrastructure

FSUE “Space Systems” has an extensive ground infrastructure, which includes 5 space communication centers and one satellite station. The central element of this system is the technical center Shabolovka, which connects the CKS and the satellite communication station with Russian and international switching centers in Moscow. The main tasks
of the Shabolovka center :

• formation, organization, configuration, formatting and switching of digital channels and paths;
• maintenance of the terrestrial segment of satellite communications;
• maintenance of communication networks of SE CC;
• maintenance and administration of the company’s own networks;
• connection of users to communication services.

CKS Dubna was founded in 1980, and today it is the largest teleport in the Russian Federation and is included in the European TOP of the largest teleports. Equipped with:

• 24 transceiver earth stations with antennas from 2.4 to 32 meters for organizing communication channels;
• 27 transceiver earth stations for spacecraft control and telemetry;
• 11 measuring and monitoring stations;
• 2 independent fiber optic communication lines of 20 Gbps;
• 4 high voltage feeders.

ZKS Zheleznogorsk acts as a strong point of the eastern part of the FSUE “Space Systems” satellite constellation. His work began in 2004. The MCC controls and monitors satellites located from 32° to 154° E. Equipped with:

• 10 command-measuring and telemetry stations for receiving telemetry, determining the location of spacecraft and controlling them;
• 7 measuring and monitoring stations;
• 3 transceiver earth stations to provide communication between MCCs;
• 4 reserve receiving and receiving-transmitting stations for the organization of television and radio broadcasting in Siberia and the Far East;
• 5 receiving and receiving-transmitting stations for rendering communication services to consumers;
• 2 fiber optic communication lines;
• 2 high voltage feeders.

CKS Bear Lakes was established in 1967. Today it acts as a platform for the provision of television and telecommunications services to SE CU customers. Also on the territory of the center there is a backup compression center, whose task is to ensure the continuity of television broadcasting in the event of equipment failure at Shabolovka.
CKS Skolkovo was founded in December 2003. Its main task is to ensure the operation of commercial satellite platforms, as well as the reception of data from satellites in an arc from 27° W. up to 102°E To do this, the center has:

• 8 multi-barrel receiving-transmitting stations;
• 33 fixed and retargetable receiving antennas from 2.5 to 6.3 meters;
• Reserve control station of the spacecraft;
• 2 independent fiber optic communication lines.

TsKS Khabarovsk – the largest teleport in the Far East – was founded in 2004. Its tasks include the organization of satellite communication channels, support for television and radio broadcasting and VSAT networks. To this end, the complex is equipped with 20 satellite communication transceiver stations with antennas from 2.4 to 9 meters, as well as equipment for telemetry, orbital tests, satellite transponder load control. Satellite communication station Vladimir in 1971, and in 2009 passed under the jurisdiction of the GP KS. Used to perform the following tasks:

• provision of satellite communication services in C-, Ku- and L-bands;
• provision of telephone communications;
• support for TV and radio broadcasting channels;
• provision of mobile government communications;
• control and telemetric control of satellites of the Express-AM series in a position from 20° W. up to 103°E

Thus, the ground infrastructure of FSUE “Space Systems”, combined with the capabilities of its satellite constellation, allows the company to provide satellite communications services not only to Russian consumers throughout the country, but also to foreign customers.