KL to launch its own micro-satellite in 1997<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuter): Malaysia has set up a space consortium
\nto design, manufacture and launch a micro-satellite the size of a
\nfiling cabinet in 1997 under its newly-launched space program,
\nPrime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"MAXSTAR will undertake the micro-satellite program that will
\nenable scientific research activities, in and from space, to be
\ncarried out,\" Mahathir said at Malaysia's national planetarium in
\nthe country's capital, Kuala Lumpur.<\/p>\n
MAXSTAR (Malaysian Space and Telecommunications Research
\nConsortium) comprises Binariang Sdn Bhd, Telekom Malaysia Bhd,
\nMalaysia's Space Science Studies Division (BAKSA), the Malaysian
\nInstitute of Micro-Electronics Systems (MIMOS) and the country's
\nfive universities.<\/p>\n
Binariang is developing and operating Malaysia's first
\ncommunications satellite called MEASAT, built by Hughes Space and
\nCommunications Inc, which is due for launching this Dec. 20 by
\nthe French company Arianespace.<\/p>\n
Mahathir said the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
\nwill help develop satellite technology.<\/p>\n
\"As part of the MEASAT contracts, Arianespace and Hughes Space
\nand Communications, Inc., have also agreed to actively
\nparticipate in Malaysia's space program,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Mahathir earlier witnessed MAXSTAR signing pacts with ISRO,
\nArianespace and Malaysia's Science University to design, make and
\nlaunch the first micro-satellite in 1997 and another in 2000.<\/p>\n
Binariang's MEASAT commercial manager Abdul Halim Hamid said
\nMAXSTAR has allocated US$20 million for the micro-satellite
\nprogram but details will only be finalized in July.<\/p>\n
\"We have to decide on the mission and configuration for the
\nmicro-satellite which will be launched by July 1997,\" he told
\nreporters.<\/p>\n
BAKSA director-general Mazlan Othman said Malaysia is going
\nahead with its ambitious space program as it wanted to build up
\nindigenous capability in space science and technology.<\/p>\n
\"We have been passive users of Western space technology. We
\nwant to be enlightened users and our first step is to build up
\nown indigenous capability,\" she told reporters.<\/p>\n
\"With help from ISRO and Arianespace, we are making a small 50
\nkilogram satellite, the size of a filing cabinet,\" Mazlan said.<\/p>\n
She said Malaysia will be the first country in Southeast Asia
\nto launch a micro-satellite although its neighbors have launched
\ncommunication satellites earlier.<\/p>\n
\"The remarkable thing is that our micro-satellite will be
\ndesigned and made by us with help from others,\" she said.<\/p>\n
ISRO chairman K. Kasturi Rangan said it will provide its 40
\nkilogram Rohini-class micro-satellite as a model for the
\nMalaysian micro-satellite program.<\/p>\n
\"We have successfully launched four Rohini satellites and it
\nhas the integrity that will form the base for Malaysia's
\nprogram,\" he said.<\/p>",
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