44.5E (Nimiq 1)

[Analoguesat]

Two and a half years on and I have to reopen the thread!

Hvdh has discovered some interesting info about the venerable old satellite!

The honour of giving the news is your Hvdh

 

[hvdh]

Back then in 2013, I wrongly concluded that Nimiq 1 was sent to graveyard orbit!
Maybe I was misled by this: TSE - Nimiq 1
Of course, immediately after my post on 12 Sep 2013, Nimiq 1 started to slow down!

Nimiq 1 arrived at 86.5°W on 1 Oct 2013, and even today is still not inclined.

 

[Captain Jack]

What is it doing at 86.5w? Seems they almost like wasting fuel in these things...

 

[hvdh]

http://www.gra.gi/download/837/AR2014-2015.pdf
"This year, with the consent of the Canadian Administration, the Nimiq-1 satellite was drifted into a Gibraltar/UK orbital slot at 86.5°W. The satellite now provides direct-to-home TV over the Americas."

I don't think the latter is true. However, 86.5°W is halfway between Nimiq 6 (91.1°W) and Nimiq 4 (82.0°W), and could serve as an in-orbit spare as well.

 

[A nonymous]

Has anybody actually noticed what day it is today

 

[hvdh]

Indeed, must admid, it reads like a well planned conspiracy between AS and me!

 

[Analoguesat]

Tracking info says shes at 86.52W

Real time satellite tracking for: NIMIQ 1

 

[A nonymous]

Seems to be in a slightly higher orbit than the other birds

Gibraltar/UK orbital slot at 86.5°W

UK, 86.5w

 

[Analoguesat]

Its an easy way of making money for small states many of which are attractive to space companies due to low tax regimes.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1bc16e8e-3265-11e2-916a-00144feabdc0.html

 

[lost_mesa]

Greetings, first post here.

Nimiq 1 was first seen with a single channel of video from 86.5w in January 2014. There were reports across North America of a signal at 12224 R 8000. Programming was a repeated loop about the launch of Anik G1. There was no audio.

Later there was a signal at the same frequency with an SR of 20000. Programming was a repeated 10 minute loop about SES. Audio was in Spanish. At one point the mux had 4 channels, the other 3 being color bars. These 4 channels were also on the C Band side of Anik F1r.

This has been more off than on over the last few years. I haven't seen any signal for a number of months. Definitely not a direct to home service, but just insuring their claim to the orbital position.

 

[Analoguesat]

Hello lost_mesa - welcome to the forum.

Thank you or this interesting report, over here in Europe we can speculate all we like about whats happening but you cant beat local info!

 

[dan rose]

I'll try when I get time this weekend to see if its there.

 

[hvdh]

Nimiq 1, launched May 1999, started inclining in May 2019 and stayed at 86.5°W al these years.
It finally looks (again...) Nimiq 1 is raised to graveyard orbit, with altitude well over 36200 km and drifting 6.1°W/day.
This end-of-life year (2021) was predicted in Telesat's annual report.
Nimiq 2, launched Dec 2002, is thought to last until 2024, and is currently drifting West slowly near 43°W.