FSUE Space communications: history and development prospects, satellite constellation

Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Space Communication” (GP KS), eng. Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) is a domestic state satellite communications operator, the official website is https://www.rscc.ru/. More than 50 years of activity:
He owns the largest grouping of geostationary satellites in the country – 12 vehicles, as well as 5 ground-based space communication centers located in different regions of the country. This allows the State Enterprise KS 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.
Russian Satellite Communications Company [/ caption]

History of development

The history of FSUE “Space Communication” began in 1957, with the launch of the first Soviet satellite into earth orbit. In the 1960s, satellite communications were actively developing in the Soviet Union.
Thus, 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 already 2 years later, 20 Orbit ground stations were operating in the country, which made it possible to make TV broadcasts via satellite regular.

November 4, 1967 – the day of the beginning of permanent television broadcasting through the Orbita satellite system – is considered the birthday of the State Enterprise KS. Although the official order on the formation of the “Space Communication 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 points from the history of the GP KS:

• 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 – launching two Express-A satellites into orbit, beginning of the renewal of the Russian satellite constellation;
• 2009 – at the Paris International Summit on Satellite Communications, the KS State Enterprise received the status of the best regional satellite operator of the year;
• 2014 – 2015 – launching seven new satellites of the Express-A series into orbit, increasing the resource of the domestic satellite constellation by 2.5 times;
• 2017 – WTA included FSUE Space Systems in the five fastest growing teleports in the world and in the TOP-20 of the world’s largest satellite communications operators.

Currently, State Enterprise KS is already in the TOP-10 of the largest operators in the world. The company’s management declares that its strategic goal is to take an honorable 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 program of innovative development of FSUE “Space Systems”:
Development Program of FSUE Space Communications

Basic information about the company

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

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

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

To support the operation of ground stations and the construction of new facilities, the State Enterprise KS also carries out construction and design work. For this purpose, 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.

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

The head office of GP KS is located in Moscow at Nikoloyamskiy per., Building 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;
• CCS Dubna – Moscow region, Dubna, st. Alexandrovka, 43;
• CCS Zheleznogorsk – Krasnoyarsk Territory, Zheleznogorsk, st. Krasnoyarskaya, 4A;
• CCS Bear Lakes – Moscow region., Shchelkovsky district, village. Bear Lakes, p / o “Bear Lakes”;
• CKS Skolkovo – Moscow region, Odintsovo district, village. Marfino, Skolkovskoe highway, 1;
• CCS Khabarovsk – Khabarovsk Territory, Khabarovsk district, with. Sergeevka, 21st km of Sarapul highway, No. 7.

FGUP Space communication centers [/ caption]

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

Alexey Konstantinovich Volin has been the General Director of FSUE Space Communication since June 2021. Prior to his appointment, he held the position of Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Communications and Mass Media in the Russian government for about 10 years. Volin’s main task during this period was the conversion of Russian television broadcasting from analog to digital format.
Also, the management staff of the organization includes:

• First Deputy General Director – Yuri Valentinovich Prokhorov;
• First Deputy General Director – Ganin Alexander Anatolyevich;
• Deputy General Director for Development and Operation of Communication Systems – Evgeny Buidinov;
• Orbital Group Operations Director – Evgeny Vladimirovich Gruzintsev;
• the director of the Shabolovka shopping center – Yakovlev Alexander Viktorovich;
• Director of CCS Dubna – Duka Alexander Petrovich;
• director of CSK Bear Lakes – Artemiev Valery Ivanovich;
• Director of CCS Khabarovsk – Kovalenko Viktor Vasilievich;
• Director of the Skolkovo Central Station – Krylov Alexander Mikhailovich;
• Director of CCS Zheleznogorsk – Muratov Rais Vasilievich.

Most of the representatives of the management staff of the State Enterprise of the KS have specialized education and extensive experience in the field of telecommunications and satellite communications, government awards and academic degrees. Download the statute of FSUE space communications:
Statute of the GP KS

List of services rendered by FSUE “Space Systems”

The list of services of FSUE “Space Systems” includes:

• digital TV and radio broadcasting – federal and direct broadcasting, organization of TV runs, provision of a technological platform for broadcasters;
• communication services – provision of satellite resources, 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 capabilities allow it to provide services not only throughout Russia, but also in other countries of the world. And the VSAT network, built by the State Enterprise KS, completely covers the waters of the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, the Mediterranean, North, Japanese, Caspian, Baltic, Okhotsk and all northern seas washing Russia, including the Northern Sea Route.
Communication vessels [/ caption]

Satellite constellation

FSUE Space Systems owns the largest satellite constellation in Russia, consisting of 12 vehicles. The geostationary satellites of the GP KS operate in the C, Ku, Ka and L bands. The vehicles are located on an orbital arc from 14 ° W. 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.

Coverage by satellites and ground stations [/ caption]

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 Shabolovka technical center, which connects the CCS and the satellite communication station with the 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;
• servicing the ground segment of satellite communications;
• maintenance of communication networks of the State Enterprise KS;
• maintenance and administration of the company’s own networks;
• connection of users to communication services.

CCS 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 receiving and transmitting earth stations with antennas from 2.4 to 32 meters for the organization of 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.

TsS Zheleznogorsk acts as a stronghold of the eastern part of the satellite constellation of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Space Systems”. His work began in 2004. The SCS manages 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 transceiving earth stations to ensure communication between MSCs;
• 4 reserve receiving and receiving-transmitting stations for the organization of TV and radio broadcasting in Siberia and the Far East;
• 5 receiving and transmitting stations for the provision of communication services to consumers;
• 2 fiber-optic communication lines;
• 2 high voltage feeders.

CCS Bear Lakes was established in 1967. Today it acts as a platform for providing television and telecommunication services to clients of the State Enterprise KS. Also on the territory of the center there is a backup compression center, the task of which is to ensure the continuity of television broadcasting in the event of equipment failure on Shabolovka.
Skolkovo CCS 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 on an arc from 27 ° W. up to 102 ° E To do this, the center has installed:

• 8 multi-channel transceiver stations;
• 33 fixed and steerable receiving antennas from 2.5 to 6.3 meters;
• Standby spacecraft control station;
• 2 independent fiber-optic communication lines.

CCS Khabarovsk – the largest teleport in the Far East – was founded in 2004. Its tasks include the organization of satellite communication channels, support for TV and radio broadcasting and VSAT networks. For this, the complex is equipped with 20 satellite communication receiving and transmitting stations with antennas from 2.4 to 9 meters, as well as equipment for telemetry, conducting orbital tests, and monitoring the loading of satellite transponders. Satellite communication station Vladimir in 1971, and in 2009 it was taken over by the State Enterprise KS. Used to perform the following tasks:

• provision of satellite communications services in the C-, Ku- and L-bands;
• providing telephone communication;
• support for TV and radio broadcasting channels;
• provision of mobile government communications;
• control and telemetry control of satellites of the Express-AM series in the 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.