Thaicom 6 Coverage Map. Photo: Thaicom

[Via Satellite 12-30-13] The launch date has been set for Thaicom’s Thaicom 6 satellite for the first week of 2014. The 87-minute launch window is set for Jan. 3, 2014 from 5:50 p.m. to 7:17 p.m. EST from Cape Canaveral, Fla. using a Falcon 9 rocket. This will be SpaceX’s second commercial GEO launch.

The Thaicom 6 satellite was built by Orbital Sciences using its star 2.3 bus. It contains 26 transponders, 18 of which are C-band while the remaining 8 are for Ku-band. The satellite will strengthen Thaicom’s hotbird platform on 78.5 degrees east, and will support the growth of the country’s broadcasting industry.

Thaicom 6 is designed to provide host a greater number of HD channels and higher quality digital TV. Thaicom has currently acquired a total of 66 percent booking on Thaicom 6’s capacity.