Canada satellite frequency problems
May 3, 2013
By Chris Forrester
Telesat of Canada is to order a new craft to replace Telstar-12 at 15 degrees West. However, first the Ottawa-based company has to resolve key frequency issues with Russia, which holds some valuable priority rights to transmission capacity from the orbital slot. Russia’s RSCC is planning to launch a new satellite, Express-AM8 next year to the immediately adjacent slot at 14 degrees West.
Telesat’s CEO Dan Goldberg, speaking on a conference call May 2, explained that the ‘new’ Telstar-12 craft would not have much more capacity than the existing satellite (which was launched in 2009) and which has 38 extra-wide 54 MHz Ku-band transponders. Goldberg said that the overall coverage area of the new Telstar would be different, although declined to add extra detail pending negotiations with the Russians.
The planned Russian satellite already has beams looking at South America, Europe and the Middle East and Africa.
Goldberg said the recently launched Anik G1 satellite, launched on April 15, is performing well and will enter service next week on May 8th from 107.3 degrees West. IT anchor client is DTH operator Shaw Communications.