Space

Marcopolo

Norway became an instant GEO communications operator when in late 1992 Norwegian Telecom purchased the on-orbit Marcopolo 2 (aka BSB R2) spacecraft from the firm of British Satellite Broadcasting. Marcopolo 2 is a Hughes HS-376 class spacecraft launched in August, 1990. The spin-stabilized spacecraft (2.2 m diameter and a deployed height of 7.2 m) had an initial on-station mass of 660 kg and a payload of five active Ku-band transponders. The spacecraft, renamed Thor, was moved from 31 degrees W to 1 degree W where it remained in operation throughout 1993-1994. Thor is being aided by INTELSAT 702, which is co-located with Thor (References 219-220).