Russia eyes Papua as launch pad

Russia eyes Papua as launch pad

JAKARTA: Russia wants to launch a satellite from Papua sometime next year, Antara reported on Friday.

Papua Governor Jaap Solossa said the Russian government had carried out a field study on Biak island off the northern coast of the province.

Russia was eager to launch the satellite from Papua due to its "strategic location," Solossa said but gave no more details.

Russian Embassy officials were not immediately available for comment.

Antara also quoted Solossa as saying that he had asked the central government to reopen international flights from Biak to Los Angeles in the United States. The route was closed in 1994 due to falling passenger numbers. -- Antara