Largest Telecom Satellite ever Reaches Orbit – ESA CSC: Connectivity & Secure Communications

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Publication date

19 Jul 2004

The satellite was successfully placed into geostationary orbit around 28 minutes after liftoff. At the time of its release, the Ariane-5 launcher was travelling at a speed of 8650 metres a second and had reached an altitude of around 1610 km.

At launch, the Anik F2 telecommunications satellite, to be operated by Canada-based Telesat, had a launch mass of 5950 kg. Now that it is in orbit, this heavyweight telecommunications satellite will provide high-speed Internet access and digital communications services across North America. Anik F2 carries 32 Ku-band transponders, 38 Ka-band transponders and 24 C-band transponders.

One of the beneficiaries will be the Canadian telemedicine project Telecare, a pilot project that received ESA funding under its Telecom Programme. This pilot project uses two-way satellite networks to enable nurses to ‘visit’ patients who live in remote areas.