Anik (satellite)

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The Anik satellites are geostationary communications satellites launched by Telesat Canada for television in Canada. In Inuit Anik means "little brother".

1 The Satellites
2 External links
3 References

[edit] 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	Under Construction	N/A	Proton Breeze M

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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 (aka Communications Technology Satellite, or CTS) 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.

[edit] Anik C

The Anik C satellite series was three times more powerful than the Anik A series. 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)

[edit] 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 20, 1994 Anik E1 and E2 suffered problems due to solar activity. E1 failed first at 12:50 (EST), knocking out satellite-delivered television signals in Canada. After a few hours, Telesat managed to restore normal functions on E1 at 20:15 EST. At 21:00 EST, E2 failed, as 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.^[1] E2 was not restored to service for five months; users had to relocate services to E1 and reposition satellite dishes; for some users, such as Northwestel in northern Canada, it meant days of flying technicians from one community to another to reposition the dishes.

Telesat ultimately restored E1 by constructing special earth stations at each end of the country to monitor the satellite's position, and using its control jets to finely position the satellite, but this shortened the satellite's lifetime as the fuel was intended for much less frequent adjustments along its geostationary orbit.