The Express-AM2 communication satellite, launched from Baikonur on Tuesday night successfully separated from the accelerating unit and entered a transfer orbit, the RIA-Novosti agency reported. Transfer orbit is an intermediate orbit, and the satellite is placed in the geostationery orbit after some system checks are made. The satellite was ordered by the Space Communication enterprise at the Reshetnev scientific-industrial association of applied mechanics in cooperation with the French company Alcatel Space. It is the first space vehicle of the Express-AM series with an enhanced carrying capacity of four S-range (72 MHz) transponders and has an operational life span of 12 years. According to a Space Communication representative, the service zones of the Express-AM2 satellite embrace, in effect, the whole territory of Russia, the western and eastern parts of China, Korea, Northern India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and the northern part of Indochina. The new space vehicle is designed to accomplish state tasks (mobile presidential and government communication, federal television and radio broadcasting, and the establishment of special satellite communication networks), and to render a package of services (digital television and radio broadcasting, telephony, video conference communication, transmission of data, and broadband access to the Internet). Furthermore, the new satellite will be used to develop communication networks on the basis of VSAT technology, to establish departmental and corporate networks, and to render multimedia services (remote-controlled education and telemedicine). The Express-AM2 is the fourth of five satellites of the new Express-AM series which the Federal Space Program of Russia envisages to produce and put into operation before the end of 2005. The first three satellites of this series are already successfully working in orbit.