Palapa-C1 satellite in orbit next month<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government has announced that the country's
\nPalapa-C1 telecommunications satellite will be launched on Jan.
\n31 from Cape Canaveral in Florida, the United States.<\/p>\n
Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications Joop Ave told
\nmembers of the House of Representatives in a hearing here on
\nMonday evening that the technical details of the launch were
\nstill being arranged between Lockheed Martin, an American firm
\nwhich will launch Palapa-C1, and PT Satelindo, the private
\ncompany which will operate the satellite.<\/p>\n
A spokesman for Satelindo, Eddy Thoyib, said that both
\ntechnical and non-technical factors, including weather
\nconditions, might affect the scheduling of the launch.<\/p>\n
\"But the satellite will be launched before Feb. 9,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said that after the Palapa-C1 launch in January, Palapa-C2,
\nwhich was originally planned as a backup satellite, will be
\nlaunched in April 1996 by the France-based Arianespace.<\/p>\n
The Palapa-C1 was originally scheduled for launch in October
\nor November this year by Arianespace. But the company delayed its
\nlaunching schedules after two failed launches in 1994.<\/p>\n
Because Arianespace rescheduled the launching of the Palapa-C1
\ninto May 1996, the government asked Lockheed Martin to take over
\nthe launching, while Arianespace would be assigned to launch the
\nPalapa-C2.<\/p>\n
The Palapa-C1 will replace the Palapa-B2P satellite, which is
\ncurrently in orbit. The timing of the launching for the Hughes-
\nbuilt Palapa-C1 is vital because the Palapa-B2P satellite is
\nscheduled to end its operation this month.<\/p>\n
According to Thoyib, Satelindo executives will leave for the
\nUnited States next week to watch a satellite launching, which
\nwill use the same vehicle as that for the Palapa-C1.<\/p>\n
The Palapa-C1, with a lifespan of about 14 years, has 34
\ntransponders, 28 of which will be operated by Satelindo, while
\nsix others will be managed by PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara.<\/p>\n
Thoyib said that Palapa-C1's transponders would all be leased
\nto domestic and foreign subscribers, which were mainly
\nbroadcasting firms. (icn)<\/p>",
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