Russian communications satellite Express AM-5 (Ekspress-AM 5) has suffered a thermal control loop/heat pipe failure, Russianspaceweb.com reported at 0130 GMT on 3 June. The official report on 5 June said that part of its Ku-band communications payload had to be turned off.
Some of the Ku-band transponders were reported to be permanently lost. Their clients were transferred to other spacecraft. Express AM-5’s sister spacecraft, the Express AM-6 (Ekspress-AM 6), also built by ISS Reshetnev, had a similar issue in 2022 which resulted in an insurance loss claim. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year, its satellites are no longer insured on the international market but they may be on the Russian market.