[SatNews] The northern beam covers not only all the visible territory of Russia but near-by countries, too. 

The Proton-M - Breeze-M launch vehicle with the Yamal-401 satellite on board is scheduled to be launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome on December 15,  at 00 h 16 m 00 s UTC (15.12.2014 03 h 16 m 00 s Moscow Local Time).

Real time broadcast of the launch will be available from 30 minutes before start on the Khrunichev Space Center website: without a password. 

The Yamal-401 is large-sized satellite. Its payload power of this satellite is more than 10 kW. Its lifetime is 15 years.

The Yamal-401 satellite will be launched to the 90 degrees E orbital position.

The satellite's combined payload consists of seventeen standard C-band 72 MHz, eighteen standard Ku-band 72 MHz and eighteen “planned” Ku-band 36 MHz transponders. The total Yamal-401 satellite capacity will be 53 transponders or 88 equivalent 36 MHz transponders. 

Gazprom’s Yamal-401 telecommunications satellite is scheduled for launch December 15, with the Astra 2G (above) slated for a December 28 launch date. Credit: ILS photo

A fixed contoured Russian/CIS beam is formed on Yamal-401 to operate in C-band, and two fixed contoured beams are formed to operate in Ku-band.

The northern beam covers not only all the visible territory of Russia but near-by countries, too. The highest power of this beam will be focused on the most populated territory of Russia. Transponders with standard bandwidth (eighteen 72 MHz transponders) are planned to use in Northern beam.

The Russian beam exactly contours the Russian borders. Transponders with “planned” bandwidth (eighteen 36 MHz transponders) will be operated in this beam.