Thaicom 6 is a Thai communication satellite designed to provide broadcasting and communication services to Asia and the Pacific.
Launched on January 6, 2014, Thaicom 6 is a high-powered satellite that offers a wide range of services, including television broadcasting, telecommunications, and data transmission.
Thaicom 6 has a lifespan of 15 years, allowing it to provide reliable services to its customers for an extended period.
With a mass of 4,800 kilograms, Thaicom 6 is a significant satellite that plays a crucial role in the communication landscape of Asia and the Pacific.
Explore further: Eutelsat 115 West B
Satellite Details
The Thaicom 6 satellite is a three-axis stabilised satellite with a launch mass of 3,325kg.
It's equipped with a solar array consisting of three panels of Ultra Triple-Junction (UTJ) gallium arsenide solar cells.
The satellite consumes 3.5kW of payload power and is also equipped with Li-Ion batteries.
The mission life of the Thaicom 6 satellite is about 15 years.
The total investment on the satellite development is estimated at $160m, which includes spacecraft, launch services and insurance.
A different take: 65 Speakers Fit 6 3 4
Launch
The THAICOM 6 satellite was launched on January 6, 2014, by SpaceX on a Falcon 9 v1.1 launch vehicle.
The payload was delivered to a supersynchronous elliptical transfer orbit with an apogee of 90,000 kilometers. This type of orbit enables an inclination plane change with a lower expenditure of propellant by the satellite's kick motor.
The Falcon 9 upper stage used to launch THAICOM 6 was left in a decaying elliptical low-Earth orbit, which decayed over time and re-entered the atmosphere on May 28, 2014, burning up in the process.
The launch of THAICOM 6 was SpaceX's second transport of a payload to a geostationary transfer orbit, utilizing a supersynchronous transfer orbit with a greater apogee than the SES-8 launch.
Here's a comparison of the two launches:
Satellite Design
The Thaicom 6 satellite is a three-axis stabilised satellite with a launch mass of 3,325kg.
It consumes 3.5kW of payload power and features a solar array consisting of three panels of Ultra Triple-Junction (UTJ) gallium arsenide solar cells.
The satellite is also equipped with Li-Ion batteries to support its power needs.
The total investment on the satellite development is estimated at $160m, which includes spacecraft, launch services and insurance.
This investment will help the satellite achieve its mission life of about 15 years.
See what others are reading: 6 3 4 Speakers Fit 6 1 2
Orbit and Visibility
Thaicom 6 is a payload satellite in a Geostationary Orbit (GEO).
It was launched on January 6, 2014, via a Falcon 9 launch vehicle from the Air Force Eastern Test Range.
The satellite's orbit is monitored by Space-Track, a reliable data source.
Orbit data is crucial for predicting visibility and potential conjunctions with other objects in space.
For Thaicom 6, visibility thresholds are set at ±100 km for semi-major axis, ±3° for RAAN, and ±5° for inclination.
These thresholds help ensure safe operations and accurate predictions.
Discover more: Thaicom 5
Orbit Data Source: Space-Track
Space-Track is a reliable source for orbit data, providing accurate information on satellite positions and trajectories.
The THAICOM 6 satellite, with its unique identifier 39500, is a payload satellite owned by Thaicom, launched on January 6, 2014, via a Falcon 9 launch vehicle from the Air Force Eastern Test Range.
Payload-class satellites, like THAICOM 6, are equipped with specific instruments for various scientific and technological missions.
Communications satellites, such as Starlink, are included in this category, as well as space stations like the ISS and scientific satellites like the Hubble.
On a similar theme: How Many Satellites Does Spacex Have
Visibility
Visibility is crucial for tracking satellites, and it's determined by several factors.
The semi-major axis of a satellite's orbit can affect its visibility, with a tolerance of ±100 km.
The Right Ascension of the Ascending Node (RAAN) also plays a role, with a variation of ±3°.
Inclination is another important factor, with a maximum deviation of ±5°.
These precise measurements help astronomers and space enthusiasts predict when and where a satellite will be visible from Earth.
A different take: High-throughput Satellite
Transponder Details
Thaicom 6's transponder details are quite extensive, with various channels and frequencies available.
The Thaicom 6 satellite has a total of 22 transponders in the C-band frequency range.
One of the notable transponders is the 3711 H 15000 transponder, which carries a wide range of channels including MRTV, Myanmar International, and Hluttaw Channel.
The 3741 H 3000 transponder is used by South TV, which broadcasts in MPEG2 format.
The 3826 H 4700 and 3834 H 8000 transponders both carry BBTV Channel 7, but in MPEG4-HD and MPEG4-HD formats respectively.
The 3894 H 6720 transponder is used by NVT TV and NBT 11, with NVT TV broadcasting in MPEG4 format and NBT 11 broadcasting in MPEG4-HD format.
The 3960 H 26667 transponder is used by Galmudug TV, which broadcasts in MPEG2-SD format.
The 4008 H 15000 transponder carries Thai PBS, Thai Channel 8, and TV 3 HD 33, with Thai PBS and Thai Channel 8 broadcasting in MPEG4 and MPEG4-HD formats respectively.
The 4080 H 30000 transponder carries a large number of channels, including Thai TV 5 HD1, TNN 16, and PPTV HD 36, all broadcasting in MPEG4-HD format.
Here's a list of some of the notable transponders and their corresponding channels:
Featured Images: pexels.com
