Ekspress-AM4 was a Russian communications satellite placed into the wrong orbit from a faulty Briz-M rocket stage.

[5] Contact was lost with the satellite and with its attached Briz M upper stage about six hours after the pair were launched.

[6] One of the most notable reuse proposals came from a company called Polar Broadband Systems, which was established in December 2011.

The company notes that it would not have been feasible to build a dedicated satellite for the region as the population would not justify the expense, however Ekspress-AM4 would suffice as it could have been maneuvered into the required orbit.

There was enough fuel on board for it to be operational for ten years, with giving the Antarctic region 16 hours of broadband access a day.