During the ITU Telecom World 2009, the Russian state satellite operator RSCC signed two long-term contracts for capacity lease on the new Russian Express-AM44 satellite located at 11 degrees W. Israeli telecommunication company RRSAT and British operator Earthly Orbit will deploy their networks in the Middle East using Express-AM44 Ku-band resource for communications and digital TV services.

The Express-AM44 spacecraft is named after Russian scientist A. Popov, the spacecraft was launched into orbit on February 11, 2009, with the satellite placed into operation on May 7, 2009. The satellite carries 27 transponders, including 16 Ku-, 10 C- and 1 L-band transponders. Express-AM44 is equipped with four, state-of-the-art antennas — 2 steerable Ku- antennas, 1 C- and 1 L-band antennas — which provide provide coverage of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and America. The spacecraft is manufactured by ISS Reshetnev company (Russia) in cooperation with Thales Alenia Space (France) and is designed for 12 years of operational life-time. Express-AM44 satellite provides TV and radio broadcasting services, data, broadband Internet, telephony, as well as government services.