History
Telesat has a strong record of industry firsts. Both Telesat Canada and Loral Skynet were leaders in satellite communications from the start. In the 1960s, Telstar 1 was launched and used to deliver the first live, intercontinental satellite TV transmission. In the 1970s, Anik 1 became the first commercially operated domestic satellite in geostationary orbit. More recently, Anik F2 was the world's first satellite to successfully commercialize Ka-band for two-way high speed broadband services.
A record of industry firsts, with more to follow...
Telesat is a newly formed company, but our industry leadership actually spans more than 40 years through the commercial and technical achievements of Loral Skynet and Telesat Canada.
The company's innovations have been central to the growth of satellite communications around the world and include the following highlights:
- 1962 – Telstar 1, built by Telesat's predecessors at AT&T and Bell Labs, successfully delivered the first live intercontinental satellite TV transmission between Europe and the United States.
- 1972 – Telesat launched Anik A1, the world's first commercial domestic geostationary (Canada) communications.
- 1978 – Telesat launched the first commercial Ku-band satellite on which was offered the first direct-to-home (DTH) television service laying the groundwork for the global DTH industry.
- 1981 – Telesat collocated two satellites in a single orbital slot for the first time, now a widely used industry practice.
- 1996 – Telesat was the first to provide Internet access to ISPs over satellite.
- 2004 – Telesat launched Anik F2, the first satellite to successfully commercialize the Ka-band for two-way, high speed broadband communications.
With our financial strength, corporate stability and proven management team, Telesat has the resources and backing to achieve even more for our customers and business partners.