'Telkom-1' launched after six-month delay
JAKARTA (JP): After a six-month delay, the Telkom-1 communications satellite owned by state telecommunications company PT Telkom was launched at 5:50 a.m. on Friday (Western Indonesia Time) from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
Approximately 21 minutes after liftoff, Telkom-1 was released from French-based Arianespace's launch carrier, the Ariane 42P rocket.
The satellite, weighing 2,655 kilograms at liftoff, will be placed at 108 degrees east and operate for 20 years.
Telkom-1 is a three-axis satellite with 36 transponders, comprising 24 C-Band transponders and 12 Extended C-Band transponders.
Telkom's president A.A. Nasution said the US$197.6 million satellite would provide various telecommunications services, including multimedia and high-speed Internet services, a satellite telephony network, backbone transmission and analog or digital broadcasts.
It will cover Indonesia and also Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, Laos, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Papua New Guinea and northern Australia.
Telkom-1 was specially developed to replace a Telkom satellite currently in orbit, Palapa-B2R, which is due to end its service life in mid-2000 or in 2001 at the latest.
Telkom has one other satellite in orbit, Palapa-B4, which is due to end its service life in 2004.
Nasution said Telkom-1 would start its commercial operation in October, and would automatically take over all traffic currently managed by Palapa-B2R.
"The transfer of transponders' traffic from Palapa-B2R to Telkom-1 will not cause any delay in our service. All subscribers to Palapa-B2R's 24 transponders have extended their contracts and agreed to use Telkom-1," he said on Friday morning after observing a broadcast of the launch.
The launch -- broadcast live from Kourou on a giant screen at Telkom's Jakarta office -- was attended by several high-ranking officials, including State Minister of the Empowerment of State Enterprises Tanri Abeng, Minister of Communications Giri Suseno, and chairman of House Commission IV for public works, transportation, communications and public housing Burhanuddin Napitupulu.
Nasution said Telkom was currently negotiating with local and international companies to finalize the contracts on Telkom-1's unused 12 Extended C-Band transponders.
"We hope to conclude all the deals immediately after the satellite is correctly placed in orbit and is ready to start its commercial run," he said.
He said Telkom would sell the Palapa-B2R to foreign or local satellite operators.
"The sale of Palapa-B2R, which can be still used until 2000 to 2001, will give us fresh funds to help our cash flow."
He said Telkom had offered the satellite to Hong Kong-based operators Asia Star and Asiasat, China-based operator Chinasat and local operators Satelindo and Pasifik Satelit Nusantara.
The $197.6 million Telkom-1 satellite project comprises an $84.8 million satellite contract with Lockheed Martin, a $90.1 million launch contract with Arianespace, a $21.2 million insurance package with local firm Asuransi Jasa Indonesia and a $1.6 million contract for consultancy services with Canadian firm Telesat.
Telkom-1 was previously scheduled to be launched on Aug. 4, after postponement of a July launch. The August mission was postponed after an electrical anomaly was detected aboard another Ariane 4 rocket during a third stage preparation for its launch next year.
Arianespace said the launch was delayed to enable the company to take precautionary measures by changing the typical electric components in the assigned Ariane 42P rocket.
Telkom signed the launch contract with Arianespace in April 1997. Telkom-1 is the third Indonesian satellite launched by Arianespace after Telkom's Palapa C2 in May 1996 and Satelindo's Cakrawarta in November 1997. (43/cst)