The Russian Express AM-4 communications satellite, which had been stranded in a useless orbit since its failed launch last August, was intentionally deorbited on 25 March over the North Pacific Ocean.

The satellite's engines were fired at about 10:33 GMT to force the craft to enter Earth's atmosphere. Most of the satellite is thought to have burned up, with any remaining debris coming down in the North Pacific. The satellite had been built by a consortium consisting of the Russian firm Khrunichev and the European satellite constructor Astrium.

The deorbit ends any chance of Polar Broadband Systems using the satellite to provide communications over the Antarctic.

Source: FlightGlobal.com