International Launch Services (ILS) announced that the Telesat Anik G1 satellite had been launched into orbit on an ILS operated Russian-built Proton M Breeze M launch vehicle which lifted off from Pad 39 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome near Tyuratam in Kazakhstan at 1836 GMT on 15 April. Utilizing the standard 5-burn mission design, the Breeze M upper stage then successfully released the Anik G1 satellite for the Canada-based satellite operator into its final Geostationary Transfer Orbit after a 9 hour and 13 minute mission. The 4,900kg satellite was manufactured by Space Systems/Loral (SSL) using its LS-1300 platform design. Telesat Anik G1 has 24 C-band, 28 Ku-band and 3 X-band transponders.
Once inserted into its final geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) using its own propulsion systems, the spacecraft’s main role will be to provide direct-to-home (DTH) television service in Canada, as well as broadband, voice, data, and video services in South America where economic growth has driven high demand for satellite capacity. It will also be the first commercial satellite with substantial X-band coverage for government communications over the Americas and the Pacific Ocean including Hawaii.
Anik G1 will be positioned over 107.3 degrees West longitude where it will be co-located with Telesat’s Anik F1 satellite effectively doubling both the C-band and Ku-band transponders serving South America from the 107.3 degrees West orbital location.
