| Nimiq-5 | |
| Mission Type: | Communications |
| Operator: | Telesat Canada |
| Cospar Id: | 2009-050A |
| Satcat: | 35873 |
| Mission Duration: | 15 years (planned) |
| Spacecraft Bus: | LS-1300 |
| Manufacturer: | Space Systems/Loral |
| Launch Date: | 17 September 2009, 19:19:19 UTC[1] |
| Launch Rocket: | Proton-M / Briz-M |
| Launch Site: | Baikonur, Site 200/39 |
| Launch Contractor: | International Launch Services (ILS) |
| Orbit Reference: | Geocentric orbit[2] |
| Orbit Regime: | Geostationary orbit |
| Orbit Longitude: | 72.7° West |
| Apsis: | gee |
| Trans Band: | 32 Ku-band[3] |
| Trans Coverage: | North America |
| Trans Eirp: | 40.5 - 52.5 (varies by transponder and latitude) |
| Programme: | Nimiq program |
| Previous Mission: | Nimiq-4 |
| Next Mission: | Nimiq-6 |
Nimiq-5 is a Canadian communications satellite, operated by Telesat Canada as part of its Nimiq fleet of satellites.[4] It is positioned in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 72.7° West of the Greenwich Meridian.[5] As of July 2015, EchoStar Corporation leases the satellite's entire capacity to provide high-definition television direct-to-home broadcasting for Dish Network Corporation.[5] [6] When accessed using a multi-satellite receiver such as the VIP722k and a multi-satellite dish/LNB combo, such as the Dish-300, Dish-500, or Dish-Turbo 1000.4, the satellite is referred to by the on-screen diagnostics as Echostar 72 W.[7]
Nimiq-5 was built by Space Systems/Loral, and is based on the LS-1300 satellite bus.[8] The contract to build it was announced on 4 January 2007.[9] At launch, it will have a mass of, and is expected to operate for fifteen years. It carries 32 Ku-band transponders frequency designation system.[8]
Nimiq-5 was launched by International Launch Services (ILS), using a Proton-M launch vehicle with a Briz-M upper stage, under a contract signed in April 2007.[10] The launch was conducted from Site 200/39 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, at 19:19:19 UTC on 17 September 2009. The Briz-M separated from the Proton-M nine minutes and forty one seconds into the flight and subsequently made five burns before releasing Nimiq-5 into a geosynchronous transfer orbit nine hours and fifteen minutes after liftoff.[11]