Telesat Canada

Title

Telesat Canada
Telesat Corp.

Type

Company

Coverage

Ottawa, ON

Begin Date

1969-05-01

Active Until

Ongoing

Location

160 Elgin Street, Ottawa, ON (2024)

Product Areas

Satellites
Communications

Activities

Designing
Operating

Timeline

1969, May – Founded by the Canadian Federal government on May 2 as a Crown Corporation, Telesat Canada. (“Our History”)

1972 – Launches satellite Anik A1 “as the world's first domestic communications satellite in geostationary orbit operated by a commercial company.” This allows for television broadcasting in remote communities. (Wikipedia; “Our History”; “Communications”)

1976 – Telesat Canada operating a 3-satellite network with 50 earth stations. Has just placed an order for a new satellite with RCA Ltd. (“Introduction”)

1978 – The company launches the “first commercial Ku-band satellite”, offering a directo-to-home television service. (“Our History”)

1981 – Telesat is the first to successfully insert two satellites in one orbital slot. (“Our History”)

1998 – The company is privatized and “sold by the federal government to Bell Canada” (Wikipedia)

2004 – Anik F2 is launched by the company. This is the first satellite to “provide consume Ka-band broadband services.” (“Our History”)

2007 – Acquired by/merges with Loral Space & Communication, retaining the name Telesat. (Wikipedia; “Our History”)

2013 – Company launches Anik G1, a commercial satellite with X-band coverage intended to serve the Canadian government. (“Our History”)

2018 – Company launches the Phase 1 LEO satellite. (“Our History”)

2024 – Still active at Suite 2100, 160 Elgin Street, Ottawa, ON as Telesat Corporation. (https://www.telesat.com/contact-us/)

Sources

“A Family Tree of Home-Grown* Ottawa-Carleton High Tech Companies” Silicon Valley North February 1996: 10-11. Ingenium image #4302-4304

“Communications” Statistics Canada. (https://www66.statcan.gc.ca/eng/1975/197506530641_p.%20641.pdf) [23-10-24]

“Introduction” 1975-1976 Annual Report Department of Communications, Canada: 6, 11 (https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2024/isde-ised/co1/Co1-1976-eng.pdf) [23-10-24]

“Our History” Telesat (https://www.telesat.com/history/) [23-10-24]

“Telesat” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telesat [05-10-23]

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