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Telkom to launch Merah Putih satellite next month
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Caption: The Merah Putih satellite at SSL’s factory prior to being delivered to the launch base. The satellite is scheduled for launch on Aug. 4 (Photo courtesy: SSL)
(Photo courtesy: SSL/File)
S
tate-owned telecommunications company PT Telkom Indonesia (Telkom) is set to launch its Merah Putih satellite on Aug. 4 in the United States.
The satellite will be launched at the launch base of private American aerospace transportation firm Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX), located at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
According to a Telkom press release on Thursday, the Merah Putih satellite has arrived at the launch base after being delivered from its manufacturer Space Systems Loral (SSL) factory in Palo Alto, California.
“The satellite is scheduled for a launch to the orbit slot 108 degrees east longitude on Aug. 4, according to official statement we have received from SpaceX as the launch service provider,” Telkom’s vice president of corporate communications Arif Prabowo said on Thursday.
“The satellite will be launched to its orbit using Falcon 9 rocket belongs to SpaceX.”
Arif said SSL had started building the satellite in early 2016 and completed production earlier than scheduled – it was expected to take two and a half years.
He added that the launch would strengthen Telkom’s satellite business, which had been preceded by Telkom-2 and Telkom 3S.
The Merah Putih satellite has a capacity of 60 active transponders, consisting of 48 C-band transponders and 12 extended C-band transponders. The satellite, which has a lifespan of 16 years, will cover Southeast Asia and South Asia. (sau/dmr)
