Telesat Restores Anik F2 Satellite Service After Software Glitch
2017-05-15
Canadian satellite operator Telesat restored customer services on the Anik F2 satellite after a technical anomaly occurred on the spacecraft Oct. 6, which left some of its customers without service, the company confirmed Oct. 7.
According to an Associated Press report, about 1,000 airline passengers were left stranded when 48 flights were canceled by the airline First Air due to the satellite malfunction. Canada’s CBC Radio also reported that residents in affected areas lost long-distance calling, cell phone and ATM services.
In a company statement, Telesat said that satellite anomalies like the one that affected the Anik F2 satellite are highly unusual. “This particular anomaly was the result of a software error encountered during a routine maneuver which triggered the satellite to place itself into a safe mode, shutting itself down and pointing itself at the sun to ensure it remained powered. The software error that led to the anomaly appears to have been caused by a software update that was recently provided by the satellite manufacturer. That particular software update was not re-loaded onto the satellite.”
The Anik F2 satellite was launched in 2004 and is equipped with 32 Ku-band transponders, 38 Ka-band transponders and 24 C-band transponders. It is designed to provide high-speed Internet and digital communications to users across parts of Canada and the United States.
