[4/9/07] Telesat Canada staff was reportedly on hand at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in anticipation of International Launch Services’ (ILS) lofting of Telesat’s Anik-3 satellite.

At press time, final preparations were underway for the launch of the spacecraft, manufactured by EADS Astrium.

The launch window was planned to begin Monday at 6:54 p.m. EDT.

Anik-3 is intended to fully develop position at 118.7° West  and enable the expansion of Telesat’s broadcasting and telecommunications capacity, business communications and Internet-based services throughout North America. Along with 24 C-band and 32 Ku-band communications channels, Anik-F3 will carry a small Ka-band payload to supplement services now being carried on its sister satellite, Anik-F2.