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.