Telenor Satellite Broadcasting has commissioned Thales Alenia Space to build its new satellite Thor 6. The satellite will be based on Thales Alenia Space Spacebus 4000B2 platform and fitted with 36 active Ku-band transponders. 16 transponders will point to the Nordic countries, and 20 transponders towards the burgeoning Central and East Europe market.
Thor 6 will be co-located with the remainder of the Thor fleet at the one degree West position. It will bring the number of available transponders at One West to 71 and completes the replacement programme for the Thor II and Thor III satellites. Thor III is scheduled to be retired in 2010.
The order allows for a 26-month in-orbit delivery schedule. Services are expected to commence in summer 2009 with an operational lifetime of 15 years.
The cost of the spacecraft, launch services and insurance is put at NOK1.3bn (€160m).
In February, Telenor confirmed Thor 5 will launch from Baikonour, Kazakhstan, in October 2007 and is expected to be in full service by the first quarter of 2008.
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