The Yamal-200 satellites to be placed at subsatellite GSO points of 90¿ and 49¿ East longitude, respectively, are designed to operate as part of the Yamal broadcast and satellite communication system providing modern communication means for the Russian gas industry enterprises, as well as telecommunication services to both Russian and foreign users, including telephone and facsimile communication, videoconferencing, transmission of digital data, TV programs, connection to the Internet worldwide network.

Spacecraft (SC) mass is 1360 kg and 1320 kg for SC-1 and SC-2, respectively. An estimated flying life of each of them is more than 12 years.

At 9 hours 22 minutes Moscow Time the Integrated Launch Vehicle consisting of Protom-K launch vehicle (LV), space Upper Stage (SUS) of DM type (11C8661-01) and the two Yamal-200 spacecraft assembly (SCA) was launched.

The launch was performed by the integrated team involving the specialists from Aerospace Forces and the Russian Federation rocket and space industry. SCA was delivered from baseline orbit to GSO by Upper Stage with the two main engine firings.

The first firing carried out within 1 hour 13 minutes after the launch, made it possible to transfer SCA to near-earth transfer orbit with the following design parameters: perigee altitude of 212 km, apogee altitude of 36891 km, inclination of 49.2¿.

The second firing carried out within 6 hours 41 minutes after the launch, enabled SCA delivery to a design point of target orbit with the following parameters: perigee altitude of 35051 km, apogee altitude of 36740 km. Prior to the second, ground-operated firing of the main engine, a repeated insertion of the settings for updating the assembly operation program throughout this flight phase was implemented.

At 16 hours 06 minutes Moscow Time the SC assembly was separated from SUS. Upon the Yamal-200 SCA division into SC-1 and SC-2 carried out within 7 seconds after its separation from SUS, the satellite antennas and solar arrays were deployed into operating positions, single-axis solar-oriented attitude of both SC was constructed with the subsequent transfer of their attitude control to gyrodines aimed at minimizing xenon consumption - working gas used by the integrated electric rocket propulsion system. Satellite onboard systems are operating in design modes.

SC transfer from the target orbit to subsatellite points on geostationary orbit is conducted autonomously. The design duration of their transfer to these points is 33 days and 35 days, respectively.

It was the second double launch of the Yamal SC developed by S.P. Korolev RSC Energia on the USP basis and the 241st successful launch of SUS DM developed and manufactured in the Corporation. It is for the first time in Russia that two SC at a time were placed into GSO, whose onboard systems were monitored with respect to their condition and operation starting with the 18 minute before the launch, from the Mission Control Center for the Yamal spacecraft (MCC-Y) located on the territory of S.P. Korolev RSC Energia.

The Proton-Yamal Rocket-Space Complex was prepared under supervision of the Technical Management (the Technical Director is Yu.P. Semenov, General Designer of S.P. Korolev RSC Energia, the RAS academician).

The Technical Management involves the general designers and directors of the leading enterprises-developers and manufacturers of the Complex components, their systems and assemblies, as well as the representatives of OAO Gazkom, the customer of the Yamal-200 satellites.

The decision on the launch had been taken by the State Commission (the Chairman - deputy General Director of the Russian Aviation and Space Agency G.M. Polyschuk) on the basis of the Technical Management's conclusion about the readiness of the Complex and the ground infrastructure components involved in the Yamal Project implementation.

The final prelaunch processing and launch operations related to Yamal-200 SC were witnessed by the representatives of Rosaviakosmos, OAO Gazprom, some US, German and British companies engaged in space telecommunication systems, the leading Russian and foreign information agencies and TV companies.

Analysis of the Space Upper Stage and the Yamal-200 SCA operation, control and monitoring of SC-1 and SC-2 autonomous flight were conducted by the specialists from RSC Energia included in the specially built Lead Operational Control Team (LOCT) working at MCC-Y. The Flight Director is pilot-cosmonaut V.A. Solovyov. The LOCT involves the managers and leading specialists from S.P. Korolev RSC Energia, OAO Gazkom, other enterprises and agencies.

LOCT is currently busy executing control and monitoring of the flight of both spacecraft Yamal-200, while commanding simultaneously the flight of Yamal-100 SC. A start has been made on the final stage of the activities aimed at the Yanal-200 SC transfer to the Customer for operational use.

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