Press Releases

Payload Supports Growing Demand For Direct-to-Home Television in North America

OTTAWA, CANADA, October 14, 2009 – Telesat, the world’s fourth largest fixed satellite services operator, announced today that its new Nimiq 5 broadcast satellite was placed into commercial service on October 10th. All available capacity on Nimiq 5 is fully leased to EchoStar Corporation (Nasdaq: SATS) for the life of the satellite and will be used to deliver direct-to-home television, including HDTV and other specialty programming.

OTTAWA, CANADA, October 14, 2009 – Telesat, the world’s fourth largest fixed satellite services operator, announced today that its new Nimiq 5 broadcast satellite was placed into commercial service on October 10th. All available capacity on Nimiq 5 is fully leased to EchoStar Corporation (Nasdaq: SATS) for the life of the satellite and will be used to deliver direct-to-home television, including HDTV and other specialty programming.

“The entry into service of Nimiq 5 is an important achievement in Telesat’s ongoing expansion,” said Dan Goldberg, President and CEO of Telesat. “Nimiq 5 will start contributing revenue and EBITDA to our results this year and further strengthens our ties to EchoStar. I would like to congratulate and thank our partners, Space Systems/Loral and ILS, for an exemplary program and the Telesat technical team for their skill and dedication in completing the commercial handoff so quickly following our launch a few weeks ago.”

Telesat’s Nimiq 5 was manufactured by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) using their space-proven 1300 platform. The satellite has 32 high-powered Ku-band transponders and is now in geostationary orbit at 72.7 degrees West to begin its 15 year service life.

Nimiq 5 was launched September 18th from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in the Republic of Kazakhstan (September 17th in Ottawa). Transfer orbit, in-orbit testing and relocation to 72.7 degrees West were completed in three weeks due to the use of Telesat’s advanced in-orbit testing system and close cooperation between the SS/L and the Telesat teams.

About Telesat (www.telesat.com)
Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, with offices and facilities around the world, Telesat is the fourth-largest fixed satellite services operator. The company provides reliable and secure satellite-delivered communications solutions to broadcast, telecom, corporate and government customers. Telesat now has a global state-of-the-art fleet of 12 satellites, with one under construction and another planned to start construction early 2010, and manages the operations of 13 additional satellites for third parties. Telesat is privately held. Its principal shareholders are Canada’s Public Sector Pension Investment Board and Loral Space & Communications Inc.

Forward-Looking Statements Safe Harbour
This news release contains statements that are not based on historical fact and are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this news release, the words “scheduled for”, “planned”, “will”, or “expected” or other variations of these words or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. Actual results may differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements as a result of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Detailed information about some of the known risks and uncertainties is included in the “Risk Factors” section of Telesat Canada’s final prospectus filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on June 29, 2009 as well as Telesat Canada’s other filings with the SEC which can be obtained on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Readers are specifically referred to those documents. Known risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: risks associated with operating satellites and providing satellite services, including satellite construction or launch delays, launch failures, in-orbit failures or impaired satellite performance and risks associated with domestic and foreign government regulation. The foregoing list of important factors is not exclusive. The information contained in this news release reflects Telesat’s beliefs, assumptions, intentions, plans and expectations as of the date of this news release. Telesat disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise the information herein.

For further information:
Vanessa Brûlé, Telesat, +1 613 748-8700 ext. 2407 (vbrule@telesat.com)