Anik (satellite)
Encyclopedia : A : AN : ANI : Anik (satellite)
The Anik satellites are geostationary communications satellites launched by Telesat Canada for television in Canada. In Inuit Anik means "little brother".
The Satellites
| Name | Satellite type | Launched | Retired | Launch vehicle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anik A1 | Hughes Aircraft HS333 | November 9, 1972 | July 15, 1982 | Delta 1914 Rocket |
| Anik A2 | Hughes Aircraft HS333 | April 20, 1973 | October 6, 1982 | Delta rocket |
| Anik A3 | Hughes Aircraft HS333 | May 7, 1975 | November 21, 1984 | Delta rocket |
| Anik B1 | RCA Astro Satcom | December 15, 1978 | December 1, 1986 | Delta rocket |
| Anik C1 | Hughes Aircraft HS376 | April 12, 1985 | May 5, 2003 | Space Shuttle Discovery |
| Anik C2 | Hughes Aircraft HS376 | June 18, 1983 | January 7, 1998 | Space Shuttle Challenger |
| Anik C3 | Hughes Aircraft HS376 | November 11, 1982 | June 18, 1997 | Space Shuttle Columbia |
| Anik D1 | Hughes Aircraft HS376 | August 26, 1982 | December 16, 1991 | Delta rocket |
| Anik D2 | Hughes Aircraft HS376 | November 8, 1984 | January 31, 1995 | Space Shuttle Discovery |
| Anik E1 | GE Astro 5000 | September 26, 1991 | January 18, 2005 | Ariane 4 Rocket |
| Anik E2 | GE Astro 5000 | April 4, 1991 | November 23, 2005 | Ariane 4 Rocket |
| Anik F1 | HS 702 | November 21, 2000 | Still in use | Ariane 44L Rocket |
| Anik F2 | Boeing 702 | July 18, 2004 | Still in use | Ariane 5G Rocket |
| Anik F1R | ASTRIUM E3000 | September 9, 2005 | Still in use | Proton Breeze M |
| Anik F3 | ASTRIUM E3000 | [], 2006 | Under Construction | Proton Breeze M |
Anik A
The Anik A satellites were the world's first national domestic satellites. They gave the CBC the ability to reach the Canadian North for the first time. Each of the satellites was equipped with 12 C-band transponders, and thus had the capacity for 12 colour television channels.
There is a detailed description of the Anik A satellites on the Boeing Satellite Systems website [here].
Anik B
The Anik B satellite had 12 C-band transponders like the Anik As, with an additional 6 Ku band transponders.
It was launched in 1978 and was the successor to the Anik A series and Hermes experimental satellite.
Most of the transponders were devoted to CBC Television -- East and West feed, CBC Parliamentary Television Network, CITV-TV Edmonton, CHCH Hamilton, and TVOntario.
Anik C
The Anik C satellites were three times more powerful that the Anik A satellites. They each had 16 Ku band transponders.
There is a detailed description of the Anik C satellites on the Boeing Satellite Systems website [here].
Anik C-3 was used to distribute Canada's first pay television networks -- First Choice, Superchannel, C-Channel, AIM Pay-tv since February, 1983.
Anik C-3 transponder lineup (1983): 02 - Atlantic Satellite Network; 03 - Assiniboia Downs Racing Network; 06 - Super Ecran Tv Payante; 10 - Radio-Quebec; 14 - La Sette 2; 15 - Knowledge Network; 16 - La Sette 1; 17 - Access Alberta; 18 - TFO; 19 - Premier Choix/TVEC Tv Payante; 20 - TVOntario; 23 - Superchannel; 24 - TVOntario-Legislature; 25 - CHSC Canadian Home Shopping Club (West feed); 27 - Knowledge Network; 28 - TQS Television Quatre Saisons; 30 - First Choice; 32 - CHSC Canadian Home Shopping Club (East feed)
Anik E
Anik E1 & E2 were launched in the early 1990s to replace Anik D1 & D2. Unlike the cylinder-shaped satellites of the D-series, these were regular type satellites, but newer generation.
On Thursday, January 20th, 1994 Anik E1 & E2 had stopped working. On E1 the gyroscope that helps keep the satellite positioned correctly had caused the signals not to point towards Earth. The exact problem lay with the circuitry having to do with the stabilizing momentum wheel.
External links
- [Telesat's list of satellites]
- [The list from the CSA's website]
- [CBC Digital Archives - Launching the Digital Age: Canadian Satellites]
References
- Anik E ... Phone Home. Broadcaster, March 1994. pp 12
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.