ILS to Launch Canadian Ciel-2 Comsat

McLEAN. Va., Feb. 16, 2007/Satnews Daily/ ― International Launch Services (ILS) will launch the Canadian Ciel-2 satellite on a Proton Breeze M vehicle in late 2008.

Ciel-2 will be the inaugural launch undertaken by the Ciel Satellite Group, Canada's newest satellite operator. SES Americom Inc., a minority partner in Ciel, was the contracting agent for the launch. Financial details were not disclosed.

ILS president Frank McKenna said the company was pleased to have the opportunity to assist Ciel Satellite in bringing new services to Canada and the rest of North America. “We also welcome the expertise of SES Americom, who assisted with the contract on behalf of Ciel. The SES family is a long-time, valued customer, for whom we have launched 11 satellites successfully on Proton."

Ciel 2 is a Spacebus 4000 C4 model satellite, the largest Spacebus class satellite built by Alcatel Alenia, with a mass of 5,575 kg. From its assigned orbital position of 129 degrees West longitude, the high-powered Ku-band spacecraft will deliver a variety of communications services throughout Canada and the larger North American market.

David Lewis, president and chief executive officer of the Ciel Group said his organization was pleased to be working with ILS on the launch campaign for Ciel-2. He said the tremendous operational experience of the ILS team and that of its technical adviser, SES Americom, offer Ciel the best possible support leading  to the successful and timely delivery of Ciel-2 for operations at 129 degrees West.

The Proton vehicle, built by ILS partner Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center of Russia, has carried out more than 320 missions for the Russian government and commercial customers over more than 40 years. Proton launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

ILS is a joint venture of Space Transport Inc., Khrunichev and RSC Energia. ILS is incorporated in Delaware in the United States, and is headquartered in McLean, Va., a suburb of Washington, D.C.

Ciel Satellite Group is a Canadian-owned and controlled satellite operator with a combination of partners, including BPC Telecommunications Corp., a company controlled by Borealis Infrastructure and part of the Omers Pension Plan's group of companies; Canadian satellite pioneer Brian Neill and SES Americom, an SES company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: (SESG).

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