Thai satellite’s stellar journey: THEOS-2 ready to reach for the stars

[webfact]

 

Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) confirmed that the Thailand Earth Observation Satellite 2 (THEOS-2) is set to soar into space next month.

 

The satellite reached Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, South America, after a safe journey from Toulouse, France. This news came to light when GISTDA announced the upcoming launch on their official Facebook page, adding that THEOS-2, constructed by Airbus Defence and Space, would be undergoing final inspections before its attachment to the launch vehicle.

 

THEOS-2 is the successor to THEOS-1, also known as Thaichote, which was launched on October 1, 2008. As THEOS-1 nears the end of its operational lifespan, THEOS-2 is ready to take the baton. With a weight of 425 kilogrammes, the new satellite is equipped to generate high-resolution images with a resolution of 50 centimetres.

 

by Top 

Illustration of the THEOS-2 Satellite | Photo courtesy of Spaceth.co

 

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/news/national/thailands-theos-2-satellite-prepares-for-october-launch-from-french-guiana

 

-- The Thaiger 2023-09-09

 

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[2baht]

Ground Control to Major Som

Your circuits dead, there's something wrong

Can you hear me Major Som

Can you hear me Ma............................................!

[RichardColeman]

Going to suggest here that sleepy ol' fatty-watch-face was involved in the design of this this satellite !

[Srikcir]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

the new satellite is equipped to generate high-resolution images with a resolution of 50 centimetres.

Imagery resolution hosted on Google's servers ranges from 15 meters to 15 centimeters. 

The Airbus THEOS-2 cost $238 million. 

 https://en.wikipedia.org

 

 

[Captor]

So it is a french satellite...

[Moonlover]

28 minutes ago, Captor said:

So it is a french satellite...

No it isn't. The satellite was built in the UK and then shipped to Sri Racha, Thailand where the technical payload was built and installed by Thai engineers, 

 

https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/theos-2#spacecraft

[Moonlover]

17 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Imagery resolution hosted on Google's servers ranges from 15 meters to 15 centimeters. 

The Airbus THEOS-2 cost $238 million. 

 https://en.wikipedia.org

 

 

What are you on about? The Wikipedia link BTW is useless, leaving me even more confused.

[retarius]

Sounds good but what does it do? If Thais run it will it work?

[Moonlover]

46 minutes ago, retarius said:

Sounds good but what does it do? If Thais run it will it work?

Try reading the full article. It explains what it will do. And why shouldn't Thais be able to operate it? They've been operating their previous satellite, Thaichote, since 2008.

[Srikcir]

7 hours ago, Moonlover said:

What are you on about? The Wikipedia link BTW is useless, leaving me even more confused.

Information can be confusing.

Try this.

Put $238M USD (8.5 billion baht) instead into Thailand's national health program. Buy commercial satellite pictures instead with savings from cutting military size,  mandatory military conscription and increase exports with more free trade agreements.

Sell Thailand's aircraft carrier to Myanmar.

[Purdey]

Interesting bit about helping cartography as Thailand has had border disputes for centuries. Maybe more arguments with Cambodia to follow. 

[Purdey]

Interesting bit about helping cartography as Thailand has had border disputes for centuries. Maybe more arguments with Cambodia to follow. 

[Moonlover]

2 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Information can be confusing.

Try this.

Put $238M USD (8.5 billion baht) instead into Thailand's national health program. Buy commercial satellite pictures instead with savings from cutting military size,  mandatory military conscription and increase exports with more free trade agreements.

Sell Thailand's aircraft carrier to Myanmar.

I'm not confused about the satellite, just your confusing earlier post.

 

'With the AstroBus-S satellite, Thailand is joining a small circle of nations with sovereign access to very high-resolution geostrategic information'. https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/theos-2#overview

 

AFAIK it's their country, their money and they obviously think that it's a worthwhile investment. More power to them.

[rabas]

On 9/9/2023 at 3:50 PM, Srikcir said:

Imagery resolution hosted on Google's servers ranges from 15 meters to 15 centimeters. 

The Airbus THEOS-2 cost $238 million. 

 https://en.wikipedia.org

There are no 15 cm. commercial satellites, 15 cm is a 'derived' resolution a bit like mobile phone fake zoom.

 

The world's best commercial satellite resolution is 30cm from WorldView-3 owned by DIgitalGlobe. Thailand's 50cm resolution will put them in the top 5 or roughly top 1% of optical image sats providing great economic benefit to Thailand. Not bad eh?

 

WorldView-3 would be about $1B in now dollars.

 

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1293723/commercial-satellite-imagery-resolution-worldwide/

https://www.gistda.or.th/news_view.php?n_id=5947&lang=EN