Yamal-601


Yamal 601 is a geostationary communications satellite ordered by Gazprom Space Systems from Thales Alenia Space on the Spacebus-4000C4 platform for its Yamal program. The satellite has mass of and 7.3 kW of payload power with over 15 years of design life. Its payload was also supplied by Thales Alenia Space and is composed of 18 C band and 32 Ka band transponders It replaced Yamal 202 on 49°E as Yamal-202 was slated to reach its end of service around 2018.
The satellite was launched May 30, 2019.. On June 24, 2019, the satellite was inserted into nominal geostationary orbit. On July 19, 2019, the satellite was finally put into operation, transferring all the networks from the Yamal-202 satellite to it.

History

In 2013 Gazprom Board decided on a new plan. It required two new spacecraft: Yamal-501 and Yamal-601. In January 2014 Gazprom and Thales announced a contract for a new spacecraft, Yamal-601. In 2015 the Yamal-401 history would repeat itself, and the contract of Yamal-601 with Thales was cancelled and was reassigned to ISS Reshetnev, but Thales was again allowed to keep the payload supply.
However, later in 2016, this decision to give the spacecraft bus development contract to ISS Reshetnev was reversed, and Thales Alenia Space ended up developing and building the whole satellite, bus and payload.