Page 77 - SAMENA Trends - February-March 2021

SATELLITE UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Indonesian Satellite Construction to Start in September of This Year

PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (PSN) has Indonesia and its partners in satellite Band frequency. Adiwoso added that the
initiated their Multifunction Satellite industry, the opposite is true. The PWA of SATRIA project is a strategic government
(SMF) project called Satellite of Republic the PSN and TAS Consortium shows that decision of equal importance to the time
of Indonesia (SATRIA). Through its the investment climate and development when the government decided to launch
subsidiary, PT Satelit Nusantara Tiga of Indonesia’s telecommunications the Palapa A Satellite in the 1970s for a
(SNT), and the PSN Consortium consisting infrastructure are not slowing down, domestic satellite communication system,
of fully local entities, PSN is working but rather gaining momentum. “ PSN allowing all Indonesians to communicate
together with France-based aerospace President Director and SNT President and enjoy the first national television,
manufacturer Thales Alenia Space (TAS) Director Adi Rahman Adiwoso explained TVRI. Adi also explained that SATRIA’s
to begin the satellite construction program that TAS construction will immediately total investment of $550 million (IDR 8
in September of 2020. The start of SATRIA be in effect with the PWA signing. Adi trillion) would be financed by a syndicate
construction was marked by the signing of also emphasized that construction will of international banks, namely The
the SATRIA Preparatory Work Agreement commence this month. “Indonesia can Hongkong and Shanghai bank Corporation
(PWA) by PSN President Director and SNT quickly become a digital society by Limited (HSBC), Banco Santander, SA
President Director, Adi Rahman Adiwoso, facilitating education, governance, health, (Santander) and The Korean Development
in Jakarta together with TAS VP Telecom economy, etc. using Internet access. This Bank (KDB) which is guaranteed by
Business Unit, Pascal Homsy, in France on accessibility prepares the entire nation Bpifrance Assurance Export (Bpi), the
Thursday, September 3, 2020. The Minister for a future that will be revolve around Export Credit Agency from France, and a
of Communication and Information, digital technology. With a capacity of multilateral financial institution, the Asia
Johnny G. Plate, said, “I congratulate the 150 Gbps – more than three times the Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB),
PSN Consortium for completing the PWA national capacities that are currently still based in Beijing, China, all constituting a
signing of the SATRIA project between in use – we believe that SATRIA can be the loan facility percentage of approximately
SNT as part of the PSN Consortium and solution to the digital gap that still exists $425 million (IDR 6.3 trillion) or 77.27%
Thales Alenia Space. The pandemic has in Indonesia.” According to Adi, the SATRIA of the total investment. Meanwhile, the
had a very significant impact on the project is part of a series of Nusantara remaining $125 million or equivalent to
aerospace industry, including satellites, satellites by PSN group which began in 22.73% of SATRIA’s total investment will
such as adverse effects on project 2019. This multi-function satellite has funded by the PSN Consortium’s capital.
completion, disruptions to supply chains, a capacity of 150 gigabytes per second Adi added, the government, through the
and a slowdown in the operation of (Gbps) using Very High Throughput Telecommunication and Information
manufacturing facilities. However, for Satellite (VHTS) technology in the Ka- Accessibility Agency (BAKTI), can
make SATRIA equivalent leasing costs
more efficient at 12-20% of the current
government leasing cost by the use of the
VHTS technology. Northern Sky Research
predicts that the price of 1 megabyte per
second (Mbps) in the market in 2024 will
still be twice as expensive as what BAKTI
will pay for the SATRIA project. Thus, said
Adi, the government has made the right
decision by implementing this program, as
it offers affordable leased capacity that will
allow government expenditure savings.

Russia Launches its First Arctic Monitoring Satellite

Soyuz rocket blasted off from the Baikonur Space agency chief Dmitry Rogozin wrote seas of the Arctic Ocean,’ it added. The
cosmodrome in Kazakhstan carrying on Twitter later that communication with launch of the second Arktika-M satellite
Russia’s first satellite for monitoring the the satellite had been established. The is planned for 2023, Russian state news
Arctic’s climate, the Roscosmos space monitoring system will need at least two agency RIA Novosti reported. Economic
agency said. Video published by the satellites to operate properly, the space exploitation of the Arctic is one of Russian
Russian space agency showed the Soyuz agency said. ‘As part of the system, they President Vladimir Putin’s key goals.
blaster launching against grey skies at will provide round-the-clock all-weather
0655 GMT, carrying an Arktika-M satellite. monitoring of the Earth’s surface and the
77 FEB-MAR 2021