# Anik D2

> Canadian geostationary communications satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q14907145](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14907145)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/anik-d2

## Summary

Anik D2 is a communications satellite.

## Summary
Anik D2 is a Canadian geostationary communications satellite operated by Telesat. It was built by Hughes Aircraft Company on a Boeing 376 bus and launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-51-A) on 1984-11-08 from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A.

## Key Facts
- Anik D2 is a Canadian geostationary communications satellite operated by Telesat.  
- Launch date: 1984-11-08 at 12:15:00 (UTC as provided).  
- Launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-51-A from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A.  
- COSPAR ID: 1984-113B; NSSDCA ID: 1984-113B.  
- Satellite Catalog Number (SCN): 15383.  
- Manufacturer: Hughes Aircraft Company.  
- Spacecraft bus: Boeing 376.  
- Launch (wet) mass: 1,140 kilograms (criterion: launch weight).  
- Mass at service entry: 634 kilograms (criterion: service entry).  
- Propulsion/transfer assistance: PAM-D space tug.  
- Power source: spacecraft solar array.  
- Aliases: Anik D-2; Satcom 4R; Arabsat 1DR; Telesat-H.  
- Instance of: communications satellite (designed for telecommunications).  
- Google Knowledge Graph ID: /g/12nvp8gsb.  
- Wolfram Language entity code: Entity["Satellite", "15383"].

## FAQs
### Q: What is Anik D2?
A: Anik D2 is a Canadian geostationary communications satellite built by Hughes Aircraft Company and operated by Telesat. It was launched in 1984 aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-51-A.

### Q: When and how was Anik D2 launched?
A: Anik D2 was launched on 1984-11-08 at 12:15:00 aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery during mission STS-51-A from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, with a PAM-D space tug used for transfer.

### Q: What are Anik D2’s physical and technical identifiers?
A: Anik D2 has a launch mass of 1,140 kg and a service entry mass of 634 kg, uses a Boeing 376 spacecraft bus, COSPAR ID 1984-113B, and Satellite Catalog Number 15383.

## Why It Matters
Anik D2 represents a piece of Canada’s geostationary communications infrastructure. As an instance of a communications satellite, it was designed for telecommunications and operated by Telesat, a major Canadian satellite operator. Its launch aboard Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-51-A) ties it to a notable era of Shuttle-era commercial and government payload deployments. The use of a PAM-D space tug and a Boeing 376 bus reflect typical 1980s-era satellite engineering and transfer practices. Technical specifics — including its launch mass (1,140 kg), service entry mass (634 kg), and solar-array power — place it within the small-to-medium geostationary platform class of that time. Its multiple aliases (Anik D-2, Satcom 4R, Arabsat 1DR, Telesat-H) indicate that it was identified in different contexts or partnerships. For researchers, historians, or operators tracking geostationary fleet composition and launch history, Anik D2 provides a concrete example of Canadian satellite procurement, manufacture by Hughes, and Shuttle-enabled launch logistics in the mid-1980s.

## Notable For
- Being launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-51-A from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A.  
- Built by Hughes Aircraft Company on the Boeing 376 spacecraft bus.  
- Use of a PAM-D space tug for transfer to geostationary orbit.  
- Multiple operational aliases including Anik D-2, Satcom 4R, Arabsat 1DR, and Telesat-H.  
- Clear catalog identifiers: COSPAR 1984-113B and Satellite Catalog Number 15383.

## Body
### Overview
- Name: Anik D2 (also known as Anik D-2, Satcom 4R, Arabsat 1DR, Telesat-H).  
- Class: Communications satellite (designed for telecommunications).  
- Country: Canada.  
- Operator: Telesat.

### Manufacture and Design
- Manufacturer: Hughes Aircraft Company.  
- Spacecraft bus: Boeing 376.  
- Power: spacecraft solar array.

### Mass and Physical Data
- Launch weight (criterion: launch weight): 1,140 kilograms.  
- Mass at service entry (criterion: service entry): 634 kilograms.

### Launch and Deployment
- Launch date and time: 1984-11-08 at 12:15:00.  
- Launch vehicle: Space Shuttle (Discovery).  
- Shuttle mission: STS-51-A.  
- Launch site (start point): Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A.  
- Space tug used for transfer: PAM-D.  
- Significant event recorded: rocket launch from KSC LC-39A on 1984-11-08 as part of STS-51-A.

### Orbit and Mission Context
- Satellite of: geostationary orbit.  
- Instance of: communications satellite.

### Identifiers and Catalog Entries
- COSPAR ID: 1984-113B.  
- NSSDCA ID: 1984-113B.  
- Satellite Catalog Number (SCN): 15383.  
- Google Knowledge Graph ID: /g/12nvp8gsb.  
- Wolfram Language entity code: Entity["Satellite", "15383"].

### Administrative and Reference Data
- Sitelink count (wikipedia languages): pt (Portuguese).  
- Wikidata description: Canadian geostationary communications satellite.

## References

1. [Source](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/anik-d.htm)
2. Jonathan's Space Report