Satellite operator Thaicom plans to drag an EutelSat satellite to the 50.5° East orbit to utilise the country's right to the orbit, which expires on Nov 27.
Thaicom subsidiary TC Space Connect grabbed the licence to use this orbit from the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) last month.
The dragging process is scheduled to be completed before Nov 27, indicating the company can keep the country's rights to the 50.5°E orbit before the expiration date.
Patompob Suwansiri, chief executive of Thaicom, said the company proposed to the NBTC dragging the Thaicom 9A satellite to the orbit.
The company rented an EutelSat satellite and calls it Thaicom 9A. Thaicom initially planned to operate the satellite in the 119.5°E orbit in the first quarter of 2025.
Another Thaicom subsidiary, Space Tech Innovation (STI), won the rights to use the 119.5°E and 78.5°E orbits at the NBTC's auction held in 2023.
"Shifting the 9A satellite to the 50.5°E slot will not impact our existing investment plan for the geostationary satellite launch," Mr Patompob said.
Last month the NBTC awarded the rights to use three orbit slots, comprising 50.5°E, 51°E and 142°E. The rights were awarded using a combined method of direct awarding and a beauty contest.
TC Space Connect was the sole company to submit a bid proposal for licences to use all three orbits.
However, the NBTC awarded TC Space Connect a licence to use only the 50.5°E orbit, noting the details of the company's bid proposals for the 51°E and 142°E orbits do not comply with its requirements.
The NBTC board assigned its management to prepare a new awarding of the unsold 51°E and 142°E orbits within 60 days, under the same conditions.
Earlier NBTC commissioner Somphop Purivigraipong said if TC Space Connect decides to use Thaicom 9A in the 50.5°E orbit, STI will have to adjust its plan for the new satellites and submit it to the regulator.
Last year Thaicom's board approved a budget of 15 billion baht for satellite investment for operation in the 119.5°E orbit, which includes the Thaicom 9A, Thaicom 9 and Thaicom 10 satellites.
The two small satellites, Thaicom 9A and Thaicom 9, are scheduled to launch service in the first and third quarters of 2025, respectively, while the bigger Thaicom 10 is expected to launch service by the end of 2027.
Mr Patompob said the geostationary satellite business contributes 98% of company revenue, while the space tech business generates only 2%.
The company's space tech business comprises three core services: low-Earth orbit satellites, a carbon credit management platform and a software-defined satellite.
He said he expects the space tech business contribution to jump to 20% of total revenue in three years.