Mon, Jul 19, 2004
Anik F2 Is The Largest Commercial Telecom Satellite Ever
Launched
Arianespace successfully orbited
Telesat's Anik F2 payload on an Ariane 5 Saturday night, placing
the 12,118-lb. spacecraft into geostationary transfer orbit.
Anik F2 is the heaviest commercial telecommunications satellite
ever launched, and will provide high-speed Internet and digital
communications from a final orbital position of 111.1 deg.
West.
It uses the Boeing 702 satellite bus and carries a mixed payload
of 32 Ku-band transponders, 38 Ka-band transponders and 24 C-band
transponders.
Flight 163 marked the 15th successful mission of the Ariane 5
(Generic) launch vehicle.
"I would like to thank Telesat, which has -- for the fifth time
-- placed its confidence in Arianespace," said Arianespace CEO
Jean-Yves Le Gall after the conclusion of Flight 163. "I also would
like to thank the European Space Agency, French CNES space agency
and Arianespace's industrial team for the mission -- and in
particular the personnel here at the Spaceport, who gave their full
support during the past several days."
Previous satellites launched by Arianespace for the Ottawa,
Canada-based Telesat were Anik F1 in November 2000, MSAT 1 in April
1996, Anik E1 in September 1991, and Anik E2 in April 1991.
The liftoff of Flight 163 had been delayed by two anomalies and
a weather scrub, but the Ariane launch team demonstrated its
reactivity by adjusting to the situation and making sure Ariane 5
and the Spaceport were launch-ready.
Arianespace's next mission is targeted for October, and will use
the Ariane 5 ECA heavylift launcher version. Flight 164 will carry
two payloads: the XTAR-EUR X-band telecommunications satellite (for
the XTAR joint venture company of Loral Space & Communications
and HISDESAT, S.A.), and a Kayser-Threde test satellite produced
for the European Space Agency.
More News
Touchdown Zone Lighting Two rows of transverse light bars located symmetrically about the runway centerline normally at 100 foot intervals. The basic system extends 3,000 feet alon>[...]
“Discovery and innovation are central to our mission at Virgin Galactic. We’re excited to build on our successful record of facilitating scientific experiments in subor>[...]
"We are reaching out to you today on behalf of the Popular Rotorcraft Association because we need your help. We are dangerously close to losing a critical resource that if lost, wi>[...]
UAS Traffic Management (UTM) The unmanned aircraft traffic management ecosystem that will allow multiple low altitude BVLOS operations and which is separate from, but complementary>[...]
Aero Linx: Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) SAFE is a member-oriented organization of aviation educators fostering professionalism and excellence in aviation through>[...]