ILS Proton Successfully Launches Nimiq 2 for Lockheed Martin, Telesat Canada

NIMIQ 2 communications satellite designed and built for Telesat Canada while undergoing final testing at Lockheed Martin Commercial Satellite Center in Sunnyvale, Ca. (Lockheed Martin photo)

Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan/December 29, 2002/Satnews/ — A next-generation Proton launch vehicle carried the Nimiq 2 satellite into orbit today, bringing the year to a successful close for International Launch Services (ILS).

This was the first commercial mission for the Russian-built Proton M/Breeze M rocket configuration. The vehicle lifted off at 4:17 a.m. today local time (6:17 p.m. Sunday EST, 23:17 Sunday GMT). Six hours and 53 minutes later, the satellite was released into a transfer orbit. The satellite, designed for direct broadcast services, was built by Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems, and will be operated by Telesat Canada.

"The Proton vehicle has once again proven its reliability," said ILS President Mark Albrecht. "Proton is the workhorse of the Russian fleet, and Proton M with the Breeze M upper stage builds upon that heritage while featuring more lift capability, advanced materials and digital avionics."

ILS has conducted 10 launches this year, five each on Atlas and Proton, using all variants - Atlas IIA, IIAS, III and V, and Proton K and M. In addition, the Proton has flown four missions for the Russian government, for a total of nine launches this year. ILS is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE:LMT) in the United States, which builds the Atlas; and Russian companies Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center and RSC Energia, producers of the Proton vehicles. Today's launch was the 26th for ILS on Proton.

This was the second Nimiq satellite launched on Proton. The Nimiq 1 spacecraft was launched May 21, 1999.

Telesat's Nimiq 2 satellite will expand the frontiers of direct-to-home satellite television across Canada by carrying hundreds of channels and services such as high-definition television (HDTV), pay-per-view programming, specialty channels and interactive television services. Telesat's customer on Nimiq 2 will be Bell ExpressVu, which will use the satellite to expand and enhance its direct-to-home satellite television services across Canada.

Telesat's Nimiq 2, a high power Ku-band satellite, features 32 active 24 MHz Ku-band transponders with 120 watt power amplifiers, and also has a Ka-band payload. Nimiq 2 is the newest member of Telesat's expanding fleet, which includes three FSS satellites and Nimiq 1, the com-pany's and Canada's first direct broadcast satellite launched in 1999.

Once Nimiq 2 is moved to its operational position in the 91 degrees West longitude orbital slot, Nimiq 1 will be relocated to the 82 degree WL position and will provide back-up and expansion to Nimiq 2. The launch of Nimiq 2 incorporates and builds on more than 30 years of Telesat's technical excellence in satellite operations and systems management.

The A2100 geosynchronous spacecraft is designed to meet a wide variety of telecommunications needs ranging from Ka band/broadband services, fixed satellite services in a Ku-band payload configuration, to high-power direct broadcast services using the Ku-band frequency spectrum. The A2100's modular design features a reduction in parts, simplifying construction, increasing on-orbit reliability and reducing weight and cost.

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