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Telesat’s Anik F1R Satellite Launched |
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BAIKONUR COSMODROME, Kazakhstan, Sept. 9, 2005/Satnews Daily/ — A Russian-built Proton Breeze M launch vehicle successfully placed Anik F1R satellite into orbit this morning for Telesat, Canada’s leading satellite operator.
The Proton vehicle lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 3:53 a.m. local time (5:53 p.m. Thursday EDT, 21:53 GMT). The three-stage Proton booster flew for approximately 10 minutes before separating from the Breeze M upper stage. The Breeze M then fired its on-board engine five times over the next nine hours to place the satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. Anik F1R, an EADS Astrium-built E3000 model, will be maneuvered over the next few weeks into its final orbit 36,000 km above the equator.
From its operating position of 107.3 degrees West longitude, Anik F1R will deliver broadcasting, communications and air navigation services in Canada and the United States, on behalf of Telesat. “Anik” is an Inuit word meaning "little brother."
“Anik F1R is the latest in a long line of Telesat satellites to pioneer critical services that benefit millions of people across North America every day,” said Larry Boisvert, Telesat's president and CEO.
The launch of the new Anik F1R satellite was the sixth mission of the year for International Launch Services (ILS), a joint venture of Proton builder Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), builder of the Atlas launcher.
EADS Astrium designed and built the spacecraft and supplied both the payloads and the platform. Canadian companies EMS Technologies and COM DEV also supplied a significant part of the spacecraft equipment and technology.
Anik F1R is based on the E3000 version of Eurostar communications satellite family. EADS Astrium said this is the first of two Anik spacecraft built by the company for Telesat.
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