Posted: Thu, Apr 29, 2004, 9:37 AM ET (1337 GMT)
Telesat Canada announced Wednesday that it has selected EADS Astrium to build, and ILS to launch, its latest satellite. EADS Astrium will build the Anik F3 satellite based on Astrium's Eurostar E3000 bus. The 4.6-tonne spacecraft, with end-of-life power of 10 kilowatts, will carry 24 C-band, 32 Ku-band, and 2 Ka-band transponders. The satellite will serve North America from an orbital slot at 118.7 degrees west during its 15-year lifetime. ILS will launch the spacecraft on a Proton M booster in 2006 under a separate contract also announced Wednesday. Terms of neither contract were disclosed.

Related Links:

•  Space News article (subscription required)
•  EADS press release
•  ILS press release