KL to launch its own micro-satellite in 1997

KL to launch its own micro-satellite in 1997

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuter): Malaysia has set up a space consortium
to design, manufacture and launch a micro-satellite the size of a
filing cabinet in 1997 under its newly-launched space program,
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday.

"MAXSTAR will undertake the micro-satellite program that will
enable scientific research activities, in and from space, to be
carried out," Mahathir said at Malaysia's national planetarium in
the country's capital, Kuala Lumpur.

MAXSTAR (Malaysian Space and Telecommunications Research
Consortium) comprises Binariang Sdn Bhd, Telekom Malaysia Bhd,
Malaysia's Space Science Studies Division (BAKSA), the Malaysian
Institute of Micro-Electronics Systems (MIMOS) and the country's
five universities.

Binariang is developing and operating Malaysia's first
communications satellite called MEASAT, built by Hughes Space and
Communications Inc, which is due for launching this Dec. 20 by
the French company Arianespace.

Mahathir said the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
will help develop satellite technology.

"As part of the MEASAT contracts, Arianespace and Hughes Space
and Communications, Inc., have also agreed to actively
participate in Malaysia's space program," he said.

Mahathir earlier witnessed MAXSTAR signing pacts with ISRO,
Arianespace and Malaysia's Science University to design, make and
launch the first micro-satellite in 1997 and another in 2000.

Binariang's MEASAT commercial manager Abdul Halim Hamid said
MAXSTAR has allocated US$20 million for the micro-satellite
program but details will only be finalized in July.

"We have to decide on the mission and configuration for the
micro-satellite which will be launched by July 1997," he told
reporters.

BAKSA director-general Mazlan Othman said Malaysia is going
ahead with its ambitious space program as it wanted to build up
indigenous capability in space science and technology.

"We have been passive users of Western space technology. We
want to be enlightened users and our first step is to build up
own indigenous capability," she told reporters.

"With help from ISRO and Arianespace, we are making a small 50
kilogram satellite, the size of a filing cabinet," Mazlan said.

She said Malaysia will be the first country in Southeast Asia
to launch a micro-satellite although its neighbors have launched
communication satellites earlier.

"The remarkable thing is that our micro-satellite will be
designed and made by us with help from others," she said.

ISRO chairman K. Kasturi Rangan said it will provide its 40
kilogram Rohini-class micro-satellite as a model for the
Malaysian micro-satellite program.

"We have successfully launched four Rohini satellites and it
has the integrity that will form the base for Malaysia's
program," he said.