THAICOM 5
Mission typeCommunication
OperatorThaicom
COSPAR ID2006-020B
SATCAT no.29163
Mission duration12 years (planned)
Spacecraft properties
BusSpacebus 3000A
ManufacturerAlcatel Alenia Space
Launch mass2,800 kilograms (6,200 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date27 May 2006, 21:09 (2006-05-27UTC21:09Z) UTC
RocketAriane 5ECA
Launch siteKourou ELA-3
ContractorArianespace
End of mission
DisposalDecommissioned
Deactivated26 February 2020, 09:52 (2020-02-26UTC09:53Z) UTC[1]
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeGeostationary
now graveyard orbit
Longitude78.5° East
Perigee altitude35,777 kilometres (22,231 mi)
Apogee altitude35,796 kilometres (22,243 mi)
Inclination0 degrees
Period24 hours
Epoch27 May 2006, 17:09:00 UTC[2]
Transponders
Band25 C band
14 Ku band
 

Thaicom 5 was a geostationary communications satellite operated by Thaicom. It was used to provide communications services to Asia, Africa, Middle East, Americas, Europe and Australia.[3]

Overview

Thaicom 5 was constructed by Alcatel Alenia Space, and is based on the Spacebus 3000A satellite bus, with a configuration identical to the Thaicom 3 satellite which it replaced. It was originally ordered as Thaicom 4, but sold to Agrani as Agrani 2 before completion. It was completed in 1997, and stored until June 2005 when it was cancelled and sold back to Thaicom. It was equipped with 25 G/H band (IEEE C band) and 14 J band (IEEE Ku band) transponders, and at launch it had a mass of 2,800 kilograms (6,200 lb), with an expected operational lifespan of 12 years.[4][5]

Thaicom 5 began experiencing technical difficulties in December 2019, causing Thaicom to duplicate some channels, including Korean Central Television, to neighboring satellites.[6]

Launch

The satellite was launched on an Ariane 5ECA carrier rocket, contracted by Arianespace, flying from ELA-3 at the Guiana Space Centre. The launch occurred at 21:09 UTC on 27 May 2006, and placed Thaicom 5, along with the Mexican Satmex 6 spacecraft, into geosynchronous transfer orbit.[7] At the time, it was the heaviest dual-satellite payload ever launched into geosynchronous transfer orbit,[8] however, this record has since been broken.

Following launch, Thaicom 5 raised itself into geostationary orbit using an S400 engine, with insertion occurring on 3 June 2006.[9] It underwent on-orbit testing, and was positioned at a longitude of 78.5° East for operational service, where it replaced the failing Thaicom 3 satellite.[3] On 2 October 2006, after Thaicom 5 had become operational, Thaicom 3 was moved to a graveyard orbit.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Thaicom 5 Satellite Ends Service". Thaicom. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  2. ↑ "NASA - NSSDCA - Spacecraft - Trajectory Details". nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  3. 1 2 "THAICOM 5". Satellites. Thaicom Public Company Limited. Archived from the original on 21 May 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  4. ↑ "UCS Satellite Database". Union of Concerned Scientists. 1 July 2009. Retrieved 8 August 2009.
  5. ↑ Krebs, Gunter. "THAICOM 3, 5". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 8 August 2009.
  6. ↑ Williams, Martyn (5 February 2020). "KCTV appears on Chinese satellite". Archived from the original on 5 February 2020.
  7. ↑ McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 8 August 2009.
  8. ↑ Launch Webcast. Arianespace. 27 May 2006.
  9. ↑ McDowell, Jonathan. "Index". Geostationary Orbit Catalog. Jonathan's Space Page. Archived from the original on 6 April 2010. Retrieved 8 August 2009.
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