Satelindo's satellite maker to be announced later this year

Satelindo's satellite maker to be announced later this year

JAKARTA (JP): PT Satelindo will announce at least by the end
of this year the winner of the limited tender for the
construction and financing of the company's new
telecommunications satellite.

Satelindo's president, Iwa Sewaka, said here yesterday that
Space System/Loral, Hughes Space and Communications, Lockheed
Martin and Aerospatiale had participated in the tender.

He said there were four participants, not five as he said
earlier.

The satellite, which would be used to provide
telecommunications and broadcasting services, was scheduled for
operation within two years, he added.

"The new satellite project may cost up to US$250 million or
more if the financing for the launching service is included," Iwa
said.

"We will also select later this year a launching vehicle for
the satellite," he said.

He said Satelindo would order the rocket for the satellite
from one of the world's leading launch vehicle manufacturers,
such as Arianespace, a European consortium based in France,
Lockheed Martin or McDonnell Douglas of the United States.

Arianespace is the manufacturer of the Ariane rocket family,
which has started producing its advanced generation rocket, the
Ariane 5. Lockheed Martin is well-known for its Atlas rocket,
which is now using a more advanced Atlas IIAR. McDonnell Douglas
is the builder of the Delta rocket.

Other rocket manufacturers include the China Great Wall
Industries Corp., which has entered the international rocket
market with its Long March rocket series. The Russian Krunichev
(teamed with Lockheed) has produced the Proton rocket. On a
smaller scale, there is the NPO Yuzhnoye of the Ukraine with its
Zenit rocket and Brazil with its VLS rocket.

Satelindo, which started operations four years ago, runs three
services: international telecommunications, cellular
communications and satellite transponder leasing. The company
owns and operates two Palapa C satellites which are currently in
orbit.

DTH

Iwa said that Satelindo would operate a new satellite,
probably with new name instead of Palapa, which would provide
telecommunications and broadcasting services, including
direct-to-home (DTH) television.

DTH television will allow end users to enjoy satellite
broadcasting services by using small dishes with a diameter of
between one and two meters.

The two Palapa C satellites currently operated by Satelindo
were constructed by Hughes of the United States. Hughes was the
manufacturer of two Palapa-A and four Palapa-B satellites
operated by Telkom.

Lockheed Martin is a top defense contractor in the United
States. The company manufactured the Garuda satellite of PT ACeS
and Telkom-1 satellite of PT Telkom.

Loral is another leading aerospace company in the U.S. The
company is currently making the M2A satellite for PT Multi Media
Asia.

PT Datakom Asia, another private telecommunications company,
will see the launching of its first satellite, dubbed Cakrawarta,
in November. The satellite was made by CTA of the U.S. and will
be launched by an Ariane rocket from Kourou, French Guiana. (icn)