Palapa-C2 satellite to blast off in May

Palapa-C2 satellite to blast off in May

JAKARTA (JP): With its first Palapa-C series satellite successfully put into orbit earlier this month, PT Satelindo is now preparing to launch its second satellite, the Palapa-C2, in May.

"We have been informed that the Palapa-C2 will be launched either on May 7 or May 8," Satelindo's chief operating officer, Dietfried Kuhn, said on Thursday evening.

The Palapa-C2 will be launched from French Guiana by the European-consortium Arianespace.

Arianespace was originally appointed by Satelindo to launch the Palapa-C1 late last year. Arianespace, however, delayed its launching schedules after two other launches failed in 1994.

Because Arianespace rescheduled the Palapa-C1 launching until April this year, Satelindo assigned Lockheed Martin in the United States to take over the launch. Arianespace was then assigned to launch the Palapa-C2.

The Palapa-C series, the third generation of Indonesia's Palapa satellites, has better coverage, power and flexibility than the earlier Palapa-A and Palapa-B series. They have 34 transponders, while the Palapa-B series have only 24. The Palapa- C satellites have a lifespan of about 14 years.

Meanwhile, Satelindo's director of satellite systems, Sahala Silalahi, said yesterday that because Palapa-C1's has been dominated by television broadcasters, his company has targeted telecommunications firms and providers as lessees for Palapa-C2.

"Telecommunications companies intended to lease 18 of the Palapa-C2 transponders," he said.

He refused to name the potential lessees, but said that 30 percent of them are foreign firms. (icn)