Six overseas companies apply to launch Palapa-C2 satellite
Six overseas companies apply to launch Palapa-C2 satellite
JAKARTA (JP): Six overseas firms have submitted applications
to the government offering to launch Indonesia's Palapa-C2
satellite which is scheduled for orbit in 1996.
The president of PT Satelindo, a telecommunications company,
Iwa Sewaka, told reporters here yesterday that the six foreign
firms include Krunichev-Lockheed, a consortium of Russian and
U.S. firms, Arianespace, a European consortium, and two American
firms, General Dynamics and McDonnel Douglas.
The other two companies are from China and Japan.
Arianespace, a consortium of France's Aerospatiale, Britain's
Aerospace, the Netherlands' Fokker Space and Systems and
Germany's Deutsche Aerospace, has been appointed by the
government to launch the Hughes-built Palapa-C1 in October 1995.
The satellites of the Palapa-C series will replace the Palapa-B
satellites.
Arianespace company, which failed to launch two satellites,
Turksat 1A and Eutelsat 2 in January, defeated the American
General Dynamics firm in the bidding for the launch of the
Palapa-C1.
Iwa said a contract for the launch of the Palapa-C2 will be
tendered in 1995 under the government's patronage.
"We have the rights to do the tender but we have to consult
with the government," he said, adding that competition will be
very tough.
He also said that McDonnel Douglas's rocket, called Delta,
will likely carry the Palapa-C2, whose weight at separation is
3,000 kilograms. The Palapa B series weighed only 1,300
kilograms.
Problem
He said that problems may occur if the Japanese company is
chosen because it is allowed to launch only twice annually due to
Japan's concern over the preservation of its fishery environment.
Satelindo's director of satellite systems, Sahala Silalahi,
said that the Palapa-C1 will be delivered to French Guyana in
August 1995 because its launching is scheduled for October or
November next year.
He said that Satelindo, the owner of Palapa-C satellites, will
also prepare seven antennas for its satellite system and
telemetry tracking commanding (TTC).
"Satelindo currently has a US$20 million facility in Daan
Mogot in West Jakarta. The antenna and its supporting
infrastructure will be constructed with an investment of $40
million," he said, adding that the facility will fully control
Palapa-C1 in early 1996.
Satelindo is 60 percent owned by the widely-diversified
Bimantara Group, 10 percent by PT Indosat and 30 percent by PT
Telkom, both state-owned telecommunications companies. Satelindo
runs satellites as well as international and digital cellular
telecommunications services.
Iwa said Satelindo collects 20 percent of its revenues from
international calls services, 35 percent from the satellite
business and 45 percent from the cellular phone business.
Thirteen countries currently lease Palapa's transponders at
$1.2 million per transponder. (icn)