Indonesian Palapa satellite represents third generation
Indonesian Palapa satellite represents third generation
By I. Christianto
COCOA BEACH, Florida (JP): After seeing it's first satellite
lift off into orbit two decades ago, Indonesia will today witness
the launching of Palapa-C1, the first of the third generation of
it's satellites, which will be operated by PT Satelindo.
The board of launch mission said here yesterday that
technically the lift-off at 7:50 a.m. Jakarta time today will be
success.
The board consists of top executives of the satellite
manufacturer (Hughes Space and Communications), launch vehicle
firm (Lockheed Martin), satellite owner (Satelindo) and launching
service company (Lockheed Martin International Launch Services).
A weather advisor of Space Wing of the United States, Joel
Tumbiolo, said that the weather in Cape Canaveral, the launching
site, is not likely to be hazardous today.
Palapa-C1, superior to the earlier Palapa-A and Palapa-B
series which are owned and operated by the state-owned domestic
telecommunications firm PT Telkom, will replace Palapa-B2P at 113
degrees east longitude.
The Palapa-C1 was built by Hughes, the aeronautics company
which has made all of Indonesia's satellites. The Palapa-C1
satellite, using the more powerful HS 601 design, will be fully
operated by Satelindo as a commercial telecommunications
satellite.
Palapa-C1 has 34 transponders, six of which are owned by PT
Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (PSN), and the others by Satelindo.
Lessees of Palapa-C1 transponders include the American news
channel CNN, the ESPN sports station, the entertainment networks
HBO, Radio Televisien Brunei, musical Star TV of Hong Kong and
French CFI.
Indonesia's state television network, Televisi Republik
Indonesia (TVRI), and five local private television networks --
RCTI, ANteve, SCTV, TPI and Indosiar -- are also on the user
list.
In a related development, Director General of Post and
Telecommunications Djakaria Purawidjaja, said here yesterday that
the government will soon introduce a new structure of transponder
leasing fees for domestic users.
"The new leasing fees for local users will be introduced
before Palapa-C1 enters service in March."
The current leasing fee of the Palapa-B2R, which is operated
by Telkom, is US$1.3 million per transponder per year, while
Palapa-C1's leasing fees range from $1.6 million to $4 million
per year for one transponder.
Meanwhile, a Hughes executive, George Tadler, said yesterday
that his company had submitted a proposal to Telkom, offering to
manufacture Palapa-B5 satellite.
Telkom plans to have an additional satellite within the next
four years as the last (Palapa-B2R) of it's current three
satellites will end it's operation in March 1998.