Anik communication satellites
Anik communication satellites are a series of satellites developed by Canada to enhance telecommunications across the vast and often remote regions of the country. The name "Anik," which means "brother" in Inuit, reflects the satellite's role in fostering connectivity. The first satellite, Anik A1, was launched on November 9, 1972, using a Thor Delta booster and was designed in a cylindrical shape, standing 3.8 yards tall. The Anik satellites utilized solar power, featuring over 20,000 solar cells to generate the necessary electrical power for operation. By establishing satellite communication, Canada aimed to provide comprehensive telecommunications coverage, especially in areas where land-based systems were inadequate.
Following Anik A1, additional satellites, including Anik A-2 and Anik A-3, were launched in the 1970s, leading to the formation of Telesat Canada, a commercial entity that further expanded satellite services. The Anik system proved more effective than the Soviet Union’s low Earth orbit satellites, offering stable coverage through geostationary positioning. This innovation not only connected remote communities within Canada but also established links to the United States, significantly improving telephone and television services across the nation.
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Subject Terms
Anik communication satellites
Identification Canadian commercial satellites
Date Anik A-1 launched on November 9, 1972
With the launch of the Anik satellite, Canada became the first country to place a commercial communications satellite in geostationary orbit, which gave the country round-the-clock broadcasting and completed a nationwide communications network in North America.
Certain broad Canadian expanses had limited capability for land-based telecommunications before 1972. To provide that telecommunications link, Canada developed the Anik satellite. Anik is the Inuit word for “brother.” An upgraded Thor Delta booster equipped with nine strap-on solid rocket motors was chosen to launch the spacecraft. Cylindrical in shape, Anik A was 2.1 yards (1.9 meters) in diameter and 1.7 yards (1.52 meters) high; including the antenna and other attachments, the entire satellite was 3.8 yards (3.41 meters) tall. To power Anik A, 20,448 square solar cells slightly more than 0.5 inch (1.27 centimeters) on a side each were affixed to its body, providing 300 watts of electrical power.
Anik A-1 lifted off from Cape Kennedy’s Pad 17-B on November 9, 1972. The booster rose into a clear evening sky, and, after twenty-six minutes, the satellite was in its transfer orbit, which ultimately would place it in geosynchronous position.
For service within Canada, only two operational satellites would have been necessary. A third spacecraft was included in the original thirty-million-dollar contract with the Hughes Aircraft Company. One satellite served as an on-orbit spare should an operational satellite malfunction.
The first Anik satellite was followed by the launch of two more during the 1970’s: Anik A-2 and Anik A-3, or Telesat 3. The Anik system led to the development of the commercial entity called Telesat Canada.
Impact
Like the United States, Canada recognized the utility of using geostationary satellites to establish telecommunications coverage nationwide. The former Soviet Union had set up a string of numerous, less sophisticated satellites in much lower Earth orbit, which did not remain over a given spot on Earth, and gaps existed daily in the coverage. Whereas Anik made use of the proven Hughes Aircraft Company’s Intelsat IV satellite design intended for long orbital lifetime, the Soviet satellites required relatively frequent replacement.
Canada’s system incorporated one hundred ground stations throughout the expansive nation. Eight television stations near provincial capitals reached viewers in small communities far from transmission locations. Telephone service was expanded to remote locations. This system also linked Canada to the United States.
Bibliography
International Telecommunications Union. ITU Handbook on Satellite Communications. New York: Wiley-Interscience, 2002.
Spangenburg, Ray, et al. Artificial Satellites. New York: Scholastic Library, 2001.