Thaicom Public Company Limited, an Asian satellite operator and space technology company, has chosen Airbus to provide its new generation software-defined high throughput satellite. This satellite, known as OneSat, will offer extended connectivity in Ku-band over the Asia-Pacific region, catering to millions of users.
Thaicom, which has previously launched and operated eight geostationary satellites, will now have its first flexible satellite. This flexibility allows for adaptability in terms of coverage, frequency, and capacity, which is vital in a dynamic region such as the Asia-Pacific.
Jean-Marc Nasr, Head of Airbus Space Systems, expressed his satisfaction with the significant contract, stating that Thaicom’s order marks the ninth for their pioneering OneSat product line. OneSat is known for being fully reconfigurable in orbit, offering unparalleled flexibility. Nasr also mentioned the potential for further collaboration with Thaicom in the future.
Patompob (Nile) Suwansiri, CEO of Thaicom, expressed his delight in selecting Airbus as the satellite technology provider. He mentioned that the new satellite, positioned at 119.5 degrees East, would allow for adaptability and instant reconfiguration to cater dynamically to service areas. Suwansiri believes that this milestone will boost confidence for Thaicom’s customers and partners throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
The state-of-the-art satellite, set to be delivered by Airbus in 2027, will enable Thaicom to offer other partner operators a share of its payload capacity. This will help lower costs for these operators while still allowing them individual control over their payload capacity and flexibility.
Airbus, responsible for designing, manufacturing, and providing ground control segment components, will integrate their OneSat technology into this new satellite. OneSat can be fully reconfigured in orbit, adjusting coverage area, capacity, and frequency as needed. The development of the OneSat program is supported by the European Space Agency (ESA), the French Space Agency (CNES), and the UK Space Agency.