Express-AM4: Repurposing Space Assets For Exploration
Can We Repurpose Space Assets?, Paul Spudis, Air & Space
“An attempt to repurpose this satellite hardware appears to be a win-win for everybody. The National Science Foundation gets a new satellite asset for safe and productive communications with and operations in the Antarctic, Polar Broadband gets to sell this service to the NSF, and by giving a green light to this endeavor, the Russians will have benefited the international scientific community. There are no guarantees but the possibility for these rewards make the attempt worthwhile. This experiment also holds relevance for future lunar exploration. What is being proposed for Express-AM4 is to create a reliable satellite system so that a distant base can communicate with its mission control for science and operations.”
– Express-AM4 Satellite Salvage Plan For Antarctic Internet In Jeopardy, Slashdot
– Saving Express-AM4 and Using it to Serve Antarctic Research, earlier post
If the satellite can provide communications to the antarctic can it also service the arctic?
 No, read the article, watch the video and learn a little orbital mechanics.
 @charliexmurphy Any satellite in a polar orbit flies over both polls.
The orbit for Express AM4 in our intended application is 25,000 x 46,000 km at 51.3 degrees inclination.
The geometry of our chosen orbit puts the bird at apogee over the south and perigee over the north. Â The biggest problem with Arctic communications would be to retask the spacecraft for Arctic communications and the legalities of the operation of the spacecraft in the North.
Not to say that it can’t be done but it is not the first priority.
 I didn’t say that it didn’t fly over the arctic. Also, it is pole.
In a much more limited fashion. Â The orbit has been optimized for the Antarctic in both time and in communications capability. Â We may look toward the Arctic later but for now it is the Antarctic that we are focused on.
 Thank you. A highly eccentric orbit means there is much less time over the arctic.
Are the Falkland Islands and New Zealand within your footprint?Â
 The Antarctic is a landmass, the Arctic is an iceshelf.
Actually Antarctica has several rather immense iceshelves that rival the arctic in surface area and are much thicker overall.