Satelindo to receive $41.5m from Jasindo

Satelindo to receive $41.5m from Jasindo

JAKARTA (JP): PT Satelindo will receive a total of US$41.5 million from PT Asuransi Jasa Indonesia (Jasindo), the state insurance company, in compensation for the malfunctioning of four of the Palapa-C1's 34 transponders.

Satelindo's president Iwa Sewaka said in a hearing with members of the House of Representatives yesterday that because of a defect in the satellite's battery discharge controller, four Ku-band transponders of the Palapa-C1 are expected to malfunction during eclipses.

"The satellite, powered by its two three-panel, solar-oriented arrays, must operate its battery during an eclipse. As there are usually two eclipses a year -- in March and in September -- the malfunctioning will occur only during the eclipses," he said.

He added that an eclipse usually lasts two weeks with a maximum duration of 72 minutes per day.

The Palapa-C1, launched from Cape Canaveral, in the United States, last month, is now in a 14-day period of payload undergoing orbit tests. The satellite will then begin its proper orbit at 113 degrees east longitude with initialization scheduled for the middle of this month after it completes the seven-day period of station change from its test longitude at 124 degrees.

Iwa said that the defect was initially reported on Feb. 16.

"A special team from Hughes, the satellite manufacturer, is investigating the problem. We hope to receive the report next week," he said.

The defect is likely to disrupt only the satellite's four Ku- band transponders which have not been leased by any party, he said.

Transponders are electronic devices which include a traveling wave tube or solid-state power amplifier, used to both transmit and receive radio signals on command at different specific frequencies. Each of the Palapa-C1's Ku-band transponders has 50 dBW of power.

The Palapa-C1, a version the HS-601 model of body-stabilized satellite, has a total of 34 transponders, including 24 C-band, six extended C-band and four Ku-band.

"Jasindo will pay $799,000 per transponder per year. The lifespan of the satellite is 13 years. If the transponders are then leased, Jasindo will receive the leasing fees," Iwa said.

Jasindo, insured the Palapa-C1 for $164.88 million from the liftoff until the end of the satellite's operating period. In the deal, Jasindo cooperated with PT Citra International Underwriter and 17 other domestic and foreign insurance companies.

Meanwhile, Satelindo's satellite director Sahala Silalahi said that owing to the defect, he had ordered Hughes to retest the Palapa-C2 spacecraft before the planned liftoff in May.

"We have told Hughes to test and check everything to avoid any possible recurrence of this defect," he said.

Because of the series of additional examinations, the Palapa- C2 is scheduled to be launched on May 15, 1996 instead of May 7, he said.

The Palapa-C2 will be launched by an Ariane rocket from Kourou, in French Guiana. (icn)