Lockheed to make Telkom satellite<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): State-owned domestic telecommunications firm PT
\nTelkom has chosen U.S. company Lockheed Martin Corp. to build its
\n36-transponder satellite which will be launched by late 1998, an
\nexecutive said yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"Negotiations between Telkom's satellite team and Lockheed
\nexecutives are still in progress. I cannot elaborate further,\"
\nTelkom executive Harso said.<\/p>\n
According to Telkom, the contract is worth US$140 million.<\/p>\n
The new satellite, Telkom 1, will replace the 24-transponder
\nPalapa B-2R satellite.<\/p>\n
Telkom 1 will have a 15-year lifespan and be lighter than
\nIndonesia's current Palapa B satellites, which have an eight-year
\nlifespan.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday Telkom and Lockheed signed a letter of intent for
\nthe building of Telkom 1 with Lockheed pledging to finish the
\nproject within 18 months.<\/p>\n
Telkom has appointed European consortium Arianespace to launch
\nthe satellite which will replace Palapa B-2R.<\/p>\n
Telkom's president, Asman A. Nasution, said last week that
\nbesides Lockheed, three other foreign companies were competing
\nfor the contract.<\/p>\n
They were the United States' Hughes Space and Communications,
\nFrance's Aerospatial and Italy's Marconi Matra.<\/p>\n
\"I also cannot comment on the cancellation of our previous
\nplan -- made last month -- to assign Hughes to build a new
\nsatellite with 24 transponders,\" Harso said.<\/p>\n
Telkom operates a 24-transponder satellite, Palapa-B4, which
\nwill expire in April 2003.<\/p>\n
Hughes made the Palapa B generation satellites and started
\nworking with Indonesia in 1975.<\/p>\n
Telkom said Indonesia would need 6-transponder satellites by
\n2010 because of the rapid growth of its telecommunications
\nindustry. (10)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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