PARIS — Satellite fleet operator Thaicom of Thailand has selected Orbital Sciences Corp. to build the all-Ku-band Thaicom 8 satellite, which will be launched in 2016 aboard a Space Exploration Technologies Corp. Falcon 9 rocket, Thaicom said.

In an April 29 filing with the Stock Exchange of Thailand, Thaicom said the satellite and launch service will cost a combined $178.5 million, to which an insurance premium will be added at a later date, when the policy is secured.

SpaceX , Thaicom is returning to the same contracting configuration that built and With its choice of Orbital and, Thaicom is returning to the same contracting configuration that built and launched the Thaicom 6 satellite in January.

Thaicom was the second commercial geostationary satellite operator to use the SpaceX Falcon 9 v1.1. SpaceX has been advertising prices of $60 million or less per launch of geostationary-orbiting satellites.

Thaicom had selected Dulles, Va.-based Orbital to build Thaicom 8 in 2013 but did not confirm the contract until a meeting of the company’s board of directors April 29.

Thaicom said Thaicom 8 is expected to weigh 3,100 kilograms at launch and to carry 24 Ku-band transponders. Demand for Ku-band satellite capacity is rising in Thailand, South Asia and Africa, Thaicom said, which along with the need to replace retiring in-orbit spacecraft justifies the Thaicom 8 investment.

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