Telesat, one of the worlds leading satellite operators, has successfully launched its state-of-the-art Anik F3 satellite. Anik F3 will provide valuable broadcasting and telecommunications capacity and business communications throughout North America and also carry a Ka-band payload to supplement services now being carried on the Anik F2 satellite.
We are delighted with the successful launch of Anik F3, a state-of-the-art satellite that allows us to meet our customers important broadcast and communications requirements throughout North America. Anik F3 will make substantial financial and operational contributions to Telesat going forward and underscores our dedication to growing our business and providing robust and reliable satellite services to citizens throughout Canada and the rest of North America - Dan Goldberg, Telesats president and CEO.
Anik F3 was launched on the Proton / Breeze M rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome in the Republic of Kazakhstan at 4:54 a.m. local time. The satellite separated from the upper stage of the rocket and its signal was acquired by Telesats tracking station in Perth, Australia just over nine hours later.
ILS Proton Successfully Launches Anik F3 Satellite International Launch Services (ILS) successfully placed the Anik F3 satellite into orbit today with a Russian Khrunichev-built Proton Breeze M rocket. The vehicle lifted off from Pad 39 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 4:54 a.m. local time (6:54 p.m. Monday EDT, 22:54 Monday GMT). The three-stage Proton vehicle climbed through the atmosphere for nearly 10 minutes before sending the Breeze M upper stage and its satellite payload on to continue the 9-hour-11-minute mission. The Anik F3 satellite, built for Telesat Canada by EADS Astrium, separated from the Breeze M at 2:05 p.m. local time (4:05 a.m. today EDT, 08:05 today GMT). This was the fourth ILS Proton launch for Telesat, which launched its Anik F1R satellite in 2005, as well as Nimiq 1 in 1999 and Nimiq 2 in 2002 on Proton.
The Anik F3 satellite, designed and built by Astrium Satellites for Canada-based operator Telesat, is being prepared in Baikonur for launch on 10 April 2007 aboard an ILS Proton Breeze M launch vehicle. The spacecraft mated with the Breeze M upper stage is now ready to be encapsulated for flight. Lift off is scheduled on Tuesday 10 April 2007 at 4:54 Baikonur time (00:54 CET; Monday 9 April 23:54 UK time 22:54 GMT). Astrium Satellites is the prime contractor for the satellite and responsible for launch and early operations as part of the in-orbit delivery contract. The Anik F3 satellite is a Eurostar E3000 model with a launch mass of 4,640kg and a spacecraft power of 11kW at the end of its 15-year service lifetime. It will be the 33rd Eurostar to orbit. Equipped with a payload featuring 24 active transponders in C-band, 32 in Ku-band and 2 in Ka-band, Anik F3 will provide valuable broadcasting, telecommunications, business communications and Internet-based services throughout North America from its orbital location of 118.7º West.