MARCOPOLO

'Marcopolo' or 'Marco Polo' 1 and 2 were two satellites designed, launched and tested by Hughes Space and Communications (now part of Boeing Satellite Systems) for British Satellite Broadcasting, and were used for Britain's Direct Broadcast Service.^[1] Marcopolo 1 launched on August 27 1989, and Marcopolo 2 on August 17 1990, by a Delta 187 rocket. Marcopolo I had a Hughes designation as HS376.^[2]
Although the satellites worked perfectly, BSB^[3] was a commercial failure and the satellites were sold off and renamed.
Marcopolo 1 was sold off in December 1993 to Nordic Satellite AB of Sweden and operated until 2000 as Sirius 1 at 5°E. It was then moved to 13°W, and renamed Sirius W, although it is not currently transmitting any services.
Marcopolo 2 was sold in July 1992 to Telenor of Norway and renamed Thor 1. It was located at 0.8°W until it was switched off in January 2002. In November 2002, it was moved to 7.4°W and reactivated with digital test signals broadcasting towards Scandinavia. Marcopolo 2 was sent up to the junk orbit in early January 2003.
==Specifications^[4]

Contents

★ Prime contractor: Hughes ★ Platform: HS-376 ★ Mass at launch: 1250 kg ★ Mass in orbit: 660 kg ★ Payload mass: 100 kg: transponders: 90 kg, antennas: 10 kg ★ Diameter: 2.16 m ★ Height: 2.7 m (7.2 m deployed) ★ Stabilization: Spin stabilized ★ DC power: BOL: 1024 W ★ Design lifetime: 10 years ★ Beacon: 12.494 or 12.495 GHz

★ Prime contractor: Hughes

★ Platform: HS-376

★ Mass at launch: 1250 kg

★ Mass in orbit: 660 kg

★ Payload mass: 100 kg: transponders: 90 kg, antennas: 10 kg

★ Diameter: 2.16 m

★ Height: 2.7 m (7.2 m deployed)

★ Stabilization: Spin stabilized

★ DC power: BOL: 1024 W

★ Design lifetime: 10 years

★ Beacon: 12.494 or 12.495 GHz

References==
1. BSB History by Boeing
2. Delta 187NASM's Herbert Stephen Desind Collection,p.36
3. BSB1
4. BSB Specs