Nimiq: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Canadian fleet of communication satellites}}

{{More citations needed|date=October 2013}}

{{Use Canadian English|date=February 2021}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}

The '''Nimiq''' satellites are a Canadian fleet of [[Geostationary satellite|geostationary]] telecommunications satellites owned by [[Telesat]] and used by satellite television providers including [[Bell SatelliteTV]] and [[EchoStar]] ([[Dish Network]]). 'Nimiq' is an [[Inuktitut language|Inuit]] word used for an object or a force which binds things together. A contest in 1998 was held to choose the name of these satellites. The contest drew over 36,000 entries. Sheila Rogers, a physiotherapist from Nepean, Ontario, submitted the winning name.

[[File:Nimiq Winner.jpg|thumb|right|Sheila Rogers - Winner of satellite naming contest]]

[[File:Lasting image for Nepean woman.jpg|thumb|right|Lasting image for Nepean woman - Sheila Rogers wins contest for submitting 'nimiq' as name for new satellite.]]

[[File:Nimiq satellite.jpg|thumb|right|Nimiq satellite - Rogers got an honour that's truly unique: her own name placed on the satellite, immediately below the name of the satellite itself.]]

[[File:Nimiq Park.jpg|thumb|Nimiq Park in Riverside South in Ottawa - named after the Nimiq satellites]]

== Nimiq-1 ==

'''Nimiq-1''' was launched on21 May 1999 by a [[Proton-K]] / [[Blok DM-03]] launch vehicle from [[Baikonur Cosmodrome]] in [[Kazakhstan]]. It was Canada's first direct broadcast digital TV satellite and was paid for by [[Telesat]], a Canadian communications company and subsidiary of [[Bell Canada Enterprises]].<ref>[http://www.lyngsat.com/packages/expressvu1.html] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090901091632/http://www.lyngsat.com/packages/expressvu1.html|date=September1, 2009}}</ref>

* Manufacturer: [[Lockheed Martin]]

* Satellite Type: [[Lockheed Martin]], [[Lockheed Martin A2100|A2100AX]]

* Weight: {{cvt|3600|kg}}

* Dimensions: 5.8 x 2.4 x 2.4 m and a 27 m² solar array

* Vehicle: [[Proton-K]] / [[BlokDM-03]]

== Nimiq-2 ==

'''Nimiq 2''', launched on29 December 2002 on a [[Proton rocket|Proton Breeze M]] launch vehicle, includes 32 [[Ku band|Ku-band]] transponders. Nimiq 2 provides additional bandwidth for [[High-definition television]] (HDTV) and interactive television applications. On20 February 2003, Nimiq-2 experienced a partial power failure and as such can only power 26 of its 32 Ku-band transponders.

Nimiq 2's orbital slot, 123° West longitude, was changed to 91.61° East longitude during June 2019.

== Nimiq-3, -4i and -4iR ==

'''Nimiq-3''' and '''Nimiq-4i''' were leased by [[Bell SatelliteTV]] from [[DirecTV|DirecTV Inc.]] when they were already in orbit. Originally called ''[[AT&T satellite fleet|Direct-TV3]]'' and ''Direct-TV2'' respectively, these [[Boeing Satellite Development Center|Hughes HS-601]] models were brought out of retirement and are currently used to share some of the workload from ''Nimiq-2'' and ''Nimiq-1'', respectively. They went online in Bell TV's stead in 2004 and 2006.

'''Nimiq-4i''' ran out of fuel and was replaced <ref>[http://bellsrdu.ca/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008050221/http://bellsrdu.ca/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3 |date=October 8, 2007}}</ref> by '''Nimiq-4iR''' on28 April 2007.

== Nimiq-4 ==

'''Nimiq-4''' was launched on19 September 2008, by a [[Proton-M]] / [[Briz (rocket stage)|BrizM]] rocket from [[Baikonur Cosmodrome]] in Kazakhstan.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www2.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/bustech/story.html?id=893bd935-7b56-46d1-a6a3-d19d4a575ca6|title=Cheering, relief greet launch of latest Nimiq satellite|publisher=Canada.com|date=2008-09-25 |access-date=2013-10-01|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004213611/http://www2.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/bustech/story.html?id=893bd935-7b56-46d1-a6a3-d19d4a575ca6|archive-date=2013-10-04}}</ref> It will replace '''Nimiq-4i''', and will provide advanced services such as [[high-definition television|HDTV]], [[specialty channels]] and foreign language programming.

* Manufacturer: [[Astrium|EADS Astrium]]

* Satellite type: [[Astrium]] [[Eurostar (satellite bus)|Eurostar E3000S]]

* Weight: {{cvt|4850|kg}}

* Dimensions: 39 metres solar array span

* Transponders: 32 Ku-band, and 8 in Ka-band

* Vehicle: [[Proton-M]] / [[Briz (rocket stage)|Briz-M]]

* Location: 82.0 West

== Nimiq-5 ==

In 2009, Telesat announced plans to build and launch its 19th satellite, Nimiq-5. It selected [[International Launch Services]] (ILS) for the launch of the Nimiq-5 satellite in 2009.<ref>[http://www.telesat.ca/news/releases/2007/07-08-e.asp] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706204940/http://www.telesat.ca/news/releases/2007/07-08-e.asp|date=July 6, 2011}}</ref> [[Space Systems/Loral]] has been selected as the manufacturer for Nimiq-5.

[[Dish Network]] is expected to lease all of the 32 [[Ku band|Ku-band]] transponder payload. The satellite will be located at 72.7° West longitude.

The satellite's manufacturing plan also includes contracts with the Canadian satellite industry, including multiplexers and switches from [[COM DEV International|Com Dev International Ltd.]] and antennas from [[MDA (company)|MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates, Ltd]] (MDA Ltd).

The Nimiq-5 satellite was shipped from the manufacturer, [[SSL (company)|Space Systems Loral]] located in [[Palo Alto, California]], to the [[Baikonur Cosmodrome]] in Kazakhstan, on18 August 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/news.html?d=171604|title=Photo Release - Space Systems/Loral Delivers Telesat's Nimiq 5 Satellite to Launch Base Nasdaq:LORL|publisher=Globenewswire.com|access-date=2013-10-01|archive-date=20 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720011422/http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/news.html?d=171604|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Telesat|Telesat Canada]] contracted with [[International Launch Services]] (ILS) in April 2007 for the launch of Nimiq-5 by an ILS [[Proton-M]] / [[Briz (rocket stage)|Briz-M]] [[launch vehicle]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=24020|title=ILS, Telesat Canada Sign Contract to Launch Nimiq-5 on Proton in 2009|publisher=SpaceRef|date=2007-04-26|access-date=2013-10-01}}</ref>

Nimiq-5 was successfully launched into space aboard a Proton M / Breeze M rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 19:19:19 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]] on 17 September 2009.<ref>[http://www.ilslaunch.com/news-091809/] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101010164539/http://www.ilslaunch.com/news-091809/|date=October 10, 2010}}</ref>

== Nimiq-6 ==

Satellite has been be fully leased for its lifetime by [[Bell Satellite TV]] which will use it to service [[Satellite television|direct-to-home]] (DTH) satellite television subscribers across Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spaceflight101.com/nimiq-6-launch-updates.html|title=Nimiq-6 Launch Updates|publisher=SPACEFLIGHT101|access-date=2013-10-01|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004213509/http://www.spaceflight101.com/nimiq-6-launch-updates.html|archive-date=2013-10-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ssloral.com/html/satexp/nimiq6.html |title=Nimiq-6|publisher=Ssloral.com|access-date=2013-10-01|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004213826/http://www.ssloral.com/html/satexp/nimiq6.html|archive-date=2013-10-04}}</ref><ref name=6launch>{{cite web|url=http://www.telesat.com/sites/default/files/news/nimiq_6_begins_commercial_service_june_15th_final_release_2.pdf|title=Telesat's Nimiq-6 Satellite Begins Commercial Service|publisher=Telesat.com|access-date=2013-10-01|archive-date=9 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109113221/http://www.telesat.com/sites/default/files/news/nimiq_6_begins_commercial_service_june_15th_final_release_2.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Nimiq-6 was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome on 17 May 2012.<ref name=6launch/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.satbeams.com/satellites?norad=38342|title=Satellite Details - Nimiq 6|publisher=SatBeams |date=2012-05-17 |access-date=2013-10-01}}</ref>

* Satellite Type: [[SSL 1300|LS-1300]]

* Launch mass: {{cvt|4745|kg}}

* Power: 25&nbsp;kW

* Transponders: 32 [[Ku band|Ku-band]]

* Vehicle: [[Proton-M]] / [[Briz (rocket stage)|Briz-M]]

* Location: 91.1° West

== References ==

{{Portal|Spaceflight}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Canadian Space Agency}}

[[Category:Communications satellites of Canada]]

[[Category:Lockheed Martin satellites and probes]]

[[Category:Telesat]]