'Telkom-1' launched after six-month delay
'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)