Thaicom 8

{{Short description|Thai satellite}}

{{Use American English|date=April 2021}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}

{{Infobox spaceflight|auto=all

| name = THAICOM 8

| image = Thaicom 8 mission logo.png

| image_caption = Mission logo of THAICOM 8

| mission_type = Communication

| website =

| COSPAR_ID = 2016-031A

| SATCAT = 41552

| mission_duration = 15 years

| spacecraft_bus = GEOStar-2

| manufacturer = Orbital ATK

| dry_mass =

| launch_mass = 3,100 Kilograms

| power =

| launch_date = {{start-date|May 27, 2016, 9:40|timezone=yes}} UTC

| launch_rocket = Falcon 9 Full Thrust

| launch_site = Cape Canaveral SLC-40

| launch_contractor = SpaceX

| operator = Thaicom PLC

| entered_service =

| disposal_type =

| deactivated =

| orbit_epoch =

| orbit_reference = Geocentric

| orbit_regime = Geostationary

| orbit_periapsis =

| orbit_apoapsis =

| orbit_inclination =

| orbit_period =

| orbit_longitude =

| orbit_slot =

| apsis =

| trans_band =

| trans_frequency =

| trans_bandwidth =

| trans_capacity =

| trans_coverage =

| trans_TWTA =

| trans_EIRP =

| trans_HPBW =

}}

THAICOM 8 ({{langx|th|ไทยคม 8}}) is a Thai satellite of the THAICOM series, operated by Thaicom Public Limited Company, a subsidiary of INTOUCH, and is considered to be the 8th THAICOM satellite headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nationthailand.com/news/business/corporate/30185275|title=InTouch may have to up stake in Thaicom - The Nation|work=The Nation|access-date=2018-01-23|language=en|archive-date=24 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180124135531/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/business/corporate/30185275|url-status=live}}

Overview

Manufactured by Orbital ATK, the {{convert|3100|kg|adj=on}} THAICOM 8 communications satellite will serve Thailand, India, and Africa from the 78.5° East geostationary location.{{cite web |url=https://www.satbeams.com/satellites?id=2667 |title=Thaicom 8 |work=Satbeams |access-date=May 22, 2016}} It is equipped with 24 active Ku-band transponders{{cite web|url=http://www.thaicom.net/en/satellites/coverage/thaicom-8|title=THAICOM 8|publisher=Thaicom|access-date=November 10, 2017|archive-date=10 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110172154/http://www.thaicom.net/en/satellites/coverage/thaicom-8|url-status=dead}} for sending high-definition television signals through the satellite to residential dwellings.

Launch

THAICOM 8 was approved for launch into orbit on 18 March 2014. It was launched at the Cape Canaveral SLC-40 in Florida on 27 May 2016, by SpaceX. The first stage of the Falcon 9 used to launch THAICOM 8 successfully landed on ASDS - Of Course I Still Love You.{{cite news |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2016/05/falcon-9-thaicom-8-launch/ |title=SpaceX Falcon 9 recycles to Friday for Thaicom 8 launch |date=26 May 2016 |work=NASASpaceFlight.com |access-date=27 May 2016 }}[http://www.spacex.com/webcast SpaceX Webcast] It was the fourth successful landing of a Falcon 9 Full Thrust.

Reuse of the Falcon 9 First Stage

The B1023 first stage was later converted into a Falcon Heavy side booster, which performed a static fire test in calendar-week 20 of 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/867568781928701954|title=SpaceX on Twitter|website=Twitter|language=en|access-date=2017-05-25}} This first stage then continued to land again at the Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station during the Falcon Heavy maiden test flight.{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/960980119312453632|title=SpaceX on Twitter|website=Twitter|language=en|access-date=2018-03-03}}

See also

References

{{Reflist|30em}}