Arianespace postpones again 'Telkom-1' satellite launch

JAKARTA (JP): European company Arianespace again postponed the launch date for state telecommunications company PT Telkom's Telkom-1 satellite, Arianespace announced on Wednesday.

The company said in a statement the decision was made after an electrical anomaly was detected during a check of the Ariane-42P rocket's third-stage cryogenic engine. The Ariane-42P is the rocket which will be used to put the satellite in orbit.

Because the anomaly was detected the day before the launch, Ariane decided to replace the system as a precautionary measure.

"The replacement operation will require several days and a new launch date will be announced as soon as possible," the company said.

It is the second time the launching of the Telkom-1 has been postponed.

Telkom-1 was initially to be orbited on April 27 in a bi- satellite launch with the Asiastar satellite of United States- based company Worldspace. This launch was to occur with Arianespace's more advanced and powerful Ariane-5 rocket.

However, because the Asiastar satellite was unprepared for the launch, Arianespace and Telkom agreed to launch Telkom-1 on its own from Kourou, French Guiana, on Aug. 4 aboard the Ariane-42P rocket.

Telkom said the delays did not affect its launch agreement contract with Arianespace.

Arianespace signed in April 1997 a deal with Telkom to launch the Telkom-1 satellite on a Ariane-504 rocket in April this year from the company's launch site in Kourou.

Telkom-1 was expected to begin its commercial operations in September, covering countries in Southeast Asian, as well as northern Australia.

The satellite, weighing 2,655 kilograms and carrying 24 C Band transponders and 12 Extended C Band transponders, will be the third Indonesian satellite launched by Arianespace. The company launched Palapa C2 in May 1996 and Cakrawarta in November 1997.

Telkom-1 was developed to replace another one of Telkom's satellites currently in orbit, the Palapa-B2R, which is due to end its service-life in mid-2001.

Minister of Communications Giri Suseno, who was in Kourou to observe the Telkom-1 launch, considered Arianespace's decision to delay the launch understandable, according to Telkom's acting spokesperson Darmono.

Darmono said Giri agreed it was safer to delay the launch and examine and replace the malfunctioning system, rather than proceed with the launch and face a possible rocket or satellite failure.

He said the electrical anomaly could affect the lift-off power of the rocket and change the accuracy of the launch.

Telkom's assistant vice president for internal relations, Widarto, said Telkom expected the inspection and installment of the new electrical equipment on the Ariane-42P rocket could be completed in nine days.

"We expect the rocket will be ready for launch by Friday next week," he said.

Telkom-1 will provide various telecommunications services, including high-speed Internet and multimedia access, a satellite telephony network, backbone transmissions and analog or digital broadcasts, for 20 years.

The Telkom-1 satellite project cost around US$191.4 million, comprising a $84.8 million satellite contract with Lockheed Martin, a $90.1 million launch contract with Arianespace, a $15 million insurance package with local firm Jasindo and $1.6 million for consultancy services from Canadian firm Telesat. (43/cst)