Space Systems/Loral has announced that Nimiq 5, a direct-to-home television satellite built for Telesat, is performing post-launch maneuvers according to plan. The satellite's solar array deployed on schedule early Friday morning following its successful launch from the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan aboard an ILS Proton Breeze M launch vehicle.

Over the weekend, Nimiq 5's main thruster fired twice in order to begin maneuvering into geosynchronous orbit.

"Both Space Systems/Loral and Telesat put in many hours of hard work to make this satellite a success," said John Celli, President and Chief Operating Officer of Space Systems/Loral.

"We were able to deliver Nimiq 5 ahead of the contracted schedule and are pleased that it will now broaden the availability of information and entertainment across North America. I thank the ILS team and everyone at the launch base for helping to put it into orbit."

Nimiq 5 has a total of 32 high-powered Ku-band transponders and is designed to deliver a variety of high-definition and specialty direct-to-home television services. EchoStar Corporation (SATS) has committed to use the entire available Nimiq 5 payload for the anticipated 15-year life of the satellite and expects to provide capacity to its customer, DISH Network L.L.C., a wholly owned subsidiary of DISH Network Corporation, for the delivery of direct-to-home television services.

"With Nimiq 5, Telesat has taken a further step in enhancing our North American direct-to-home broadcast fleet," said Dan Goldberg, President and CEO of Telesat.

"We have been very pleased with the early contractual delivery and excellent service that Space Systems/Loral has provided and want to congratulate the many professionals at SS/L, ILS and Telesat who made this launch a success."

Nimiq 5 is based on SS/L's 1300 space-proven platform, which provides the flexibility to support a broad range of applications and technology advances. When Nimiq 5 reaches its geostationary orbital slot at 72.7 degrees West longitude, Space Systems/Loral will have 58 GEO satellites on orbit.