International Launch Services (ILS) and Telesat recently announced a contract for the ILS Proton launch of Telesat’s Nimiq 6 satellite scheduled for mid-2012.
“ILS has a longstanding history with Telesat beginning with the first ILS Proton launch of Nimiq 1 over ten years ago, Canada’s first direct broadcast digital TV satellite,” ILS President Frank McKenna said. “Having just launched Nimiq 5 for Telesat last fall, ILS and Khrunichev are honored to have the opportunity to again work with the Telesat and Space Systems/Loral teams on the Nimiq 6 program.”
Nimiq 6 is an all Ku-band satellite with 32 high power transponders that will be located at 91 degrees West Longitude. The 5 metric ton spacecraft is now under construction at Space Systems/Loral and will utilize their flight proven 1300 platform over its planned mission life of 15 years. Nimiq 6 is fully leased to Bell TV for the satellite’s lifetime to serve the fast growing number of Bell TV subscribers across Canada.
The Proton vehicle is Russia’s premier heavy lift launcher and is built by Khrunichev Research and Space Production Center of Moscow, the majority owner of ILS and one of the pillars of the Russian space industry. Proton has a long heritage with 354 launches performed since its maiden flight in 1965.