Russia's Express-AMU51, Express-AMU52 satellites to be put into orbit by 2030 - company

MOSCOW. Aug 17 (Interfax) - The Express-AMU51 and Express-AMU52 communication satellites are expected to be launched to a geostationary orbit before 2030, Alexei Volin, general director of the Russian Satellite Communications Company (state satellite communications operator), said on Monday.

"We plan to build and put into orbit two new Russian satellites, Express-AMU51 and Express-AMU52, by 2030 to meet the needs of residents and organizations," a statement from the Russian Satellite Communications Company quoted Volin as saying.

The satellites will carry a payload operating in different frequency bands to provide broadband internet and HD television services, he said.

Volin said on April 2, 2026 that eight domestic communication satellites were due to be launched to a geostationary orbit before 2030.

"We are expecting seven new [satellites] to be launched in 2029-2030. We are also hoping Express-AMU4 to be launched together with the new satellites before 2029," Volin said at a plenary session of the Russian Satellite Communications Company's industrial competence center on Thursday.

On December 26, 2025, Roscosmos said the Reshetnev company and the Russian Satellite Communications Company had signed contracts to create four telecom satellites with a total value of 65.95 billion rubles. The contract envisages construction of Express-AMU6, Express-40, Express-AMU51, and Express-AMU52, it said.

On March 16, the Russian Satellite Communications Company said Reshetnev would build another three geostationary communication and telecom satellites, including Express-AT3, Express-AT4, and Express-AMU8. The price of these contracts exceeds 43 billion rubles, it said.

The company estimated the cost of seven satellites at 110 billion rubles.