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Indonesia launches Telkom 3S satellite successfully
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Telkom 3S satellite gets ready to launch from Arianespace in Kourou, French Guiana on Feb. 14. (Antara/Puspa Perwitasari)
T
he Indonesia’s biggest telecommunication company Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom) has successfully launched its Telkom 3S satellite from Arianespace’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, at 6.39 p.m. on February 14 local time or Wednesday at 4.39 am Jakarta time.
The US$215 million worth satellite carries 24 C-band, eight extended C-band, and 10 Ku-band transponders, which intends to provide high-definition television services, faster mobile communications and Internet applications across the sprawling archipelago of over than 17,000 islands.
"With Telkom 3S, Telkom will have a total of three satellites. The launching intends to increase the coverage since Telkom 1 and Telkom 2 has the same coverage with Telkom 3S. The reason is that our capacity is not enough; we still rent [transponders] from other countries,” Telkom’s president director Alex J. Sinaga said, adding that the satellite will first travel to 135.5 degrees east for testing purposes; then it will reach the final orbital position at 118 degrees east.
(Read also: Telkom’s $250m satellite to better connect Indonesia’s islands)
Arianespace has successfully orbited two satellites: Telkom 3s for Telkom Indonesia, together with SKY Brasil-1 for the operator AT&T/ DirectTV.
“Arianespace is delighted to announce that SKY Brasil-1 and Telkom 3s have been separated as planned on the targeted geostationary orbit,” Stéphane Israël is the Chairman and CEO of Arianespace said in the satellite viewing site named Jupiter control room on Tuesday night local time.
Replacing the position of Telkom 2, the Telkom 3S, which has a lifespan of 17 years, will cover Indonesia and a part of neighboring Malaysia.
Apart from Indonesia, other countries, such as Brazil, Mexico and other South American countries, have also launched their satellites from the country. (dan)
