thor 7 launch 16 april 2015

solly

solly

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Telenor Satellite Broadcasting’s giant Thor-7 satellite is being shipped from its Space Systems/Loral production facility in the next few days and flown to the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. There it will go through final testing, and fuelling, ahead of a launch by an Arianespace rocket.
Thor-7 was designed with up to 25 simultaneously active Ka-band spot beams and a steerable beam for flexibility in meeting changing market requirements. Its Ku-band payload includes 11 transponders, which will enable expanded services in the region as well as back-up to ensure uninterrupted service.
“The satellite built by SSL will deliver a very bandwidth efficient and flexible service for major shipping routes and recreational vessels,” said Morten Tengs, VP/CEO of Telenor Satellite Broadcasting. “With the launch of Thor-7, our growth satellite, we look forward to further extending our position in the market and expanding our European coverage.”
Thor-7 is a multi-mission satellite equipped with Telenor’s first high performance Ka-band payload, designed to serve the maritime market. The HTS Ka-band payload on Thor-7, designed specifically for the mobility VSAT market, will provide cost-effective solutions and offer high powered coverage over the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea, the Red Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean. The satellite also has a Ku-band payload for broadcast and television services in Central and Eastern Europe.
When launched, Thor-7 will be positioned at 1 degree West longitude and is designed to provide service for 15 years or more.
 
I've been waiting for this launch for a while as I'm curious as to how difficult it'll be to receive the 11 Ku band transponders in the UK what with footprints getting tighter all the time...
 

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The only real satellite at 1w I could never receive was Thor 1. Thor 3 was also tricky but others are pretty ok. So I hope the trend continues
 
Captain Jack said:
The only real satellite at 1w I could never receive was Thor 1. Thor 3 was also tricky but others are pretty ok. So I hope the trend continues
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Thor 1 would have been ex-BSB Marcopolo 2 so I can well imagine that had a narrow footprint. Luckily for me I moved to Finland the same year it moved to 1W. ;)
 
Yep, and wasn't Sirius 1 Tele-X originally? Sirius was always the more troublesome spot....maybe it's because it's further east from me.
 
Captain Jack said:
Yep, and wasn't Sirius 1 Tele-X originally? Sirius was always the more troublesome spot....maybe it's because it's further east from me.
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Tele-X was a dedicated satellite for Scandinavia. It was stupidly strong and I could pick up a faint signal just by holding an LNB in the air. Sirius 1 (Marcopolo 1) came later to join it at 5E.
 
Captain Jack said:
Ah that's it! A trip down the memory lane....
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same here m8, used to get tele-x back in the day with 1 analogue channel... kanal femme(5) if i remember. remember tdf2@19west i think? the signal ripped in with 3 d2mac channels canal+/cine cinema/france supervision. those were the days, pic chip cards aplenty lol
 
There seems to be an excessive use of bin liners, silver foil and tape in the making of that satellite. ;)
 
1265-lg.webp

THOR 7 is prepared for fueling in the Spaceport’s S5 payload preparation facility.

arianespace.com
 
I want that guys uniform! :D
 
• Thor 6 (0.8 ° W), freq. 11.919 GHz, pol. V, SR 28000, FEC 7/8, DVB-S / QPSK
ID: Thor 7 Launch
service ID: 8500
video PID: 1800
audio PID: 3800
CA system: none, FTA
For viewers in central and northern Europe:
• Thor 5 (0.8 ° W), freq. 11.357 GHz, pol. H, SR 24500, FEC 7/8, DVB-S / QPSK
ID: Thor 7 Launch
service ID: 7999
video PID 1799
audio PID: 3799
CA system: none, FTA picture to the text: Start Thor 7 will be able to watch in HD at 0.8W
 
I wonder how long testing will take once launched. I seem to remember Eutelsat's KA Sat took quite a while to go into service, and this satellite also seems to have quite a large number of small KA beams.
 
hoi,

34g9ead.jpg
 
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