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)