TAMPA, Fla. The solar panels on Indonesia’s Satria-1 internet satellite were switched on after it was placed into a special orbit by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket over the weekend, according to the company that built it, Thales Alenia Space, on June 19.
Satria-1 Towards Special Orbit
Thales Alenia Space spokeswoman Sandrine Bielecki said it would take about five months for Indonesia’s first high throughput (VHTS) satellite to reach its orbital slot at 146 degrees East using electric power on board. Once it reaches its spot in geostationary orbit at the end of this year, Thales Alenia Space will need about three weeks to test Satria-1 (also called Nusantara 3). Only then will it be ready for business use?
By the beginning of 2024, the impressive $545 million satellite is expected to deliver 150 gigabits per second across the vast Indonesian archipelago and its surrounding areas, encompassing thousands of islands.
Testing Satria-1 For Business Use
On June 18, at 6:21 p.m. in the Eastern time zone, SpaceX accomplished a remarkable feat by sending a 4.6-metric-ton spacecraft soaring into the boundless realm of space. This extraordinary achievement occurred at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. About 37 minutes later, Satria-1 broke away from Falcon 9 on a flight in which SpaceX also brought back the rocket’s first-stage booster to be used again.
Public Private Partnership For Satria-1
Under a public-private relationship with the Indonesian government, PT Satelit Nusantara Tiga, a group of Indonesian companies led by Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (PSN), will run Satria-1. The smooth start is a big step toward Indonesia’s goal of getting broadband. It comes after the government had to ask foreign officials for more time to use the satellite because of problems with money and to make it because of the pandemic.
Nusantra Lima
PSN is set to manage the Nusantara Lima satellite, also called Nusantara 5, which Boeing is currently constructing. As we look ahead to the coming months, SpaceX is embarking on an exciting journey, making final preparations for the highly anticipated launch of a geostationary satellite. This remarkable endeavor is a testament to SpaceX’s remarkable abilities, igniting the imagination and propelling the frontiers of space exploration to unprecedented levels.
Satria Role in Indonesian Connectivity
In the meantime, Thales Alenia Space plans to send Telkomsat, a branch of Indonesian state-owned telecoms company Telkom, an internet satellite called Telkom 113 in 2024.
Because Indonesia has more than 18,000 islands and groups, of which the government says only 6,000 are inhabited, setting up ground networks would be difficult and expensive. This makes satellite-based communications a better choice. But foreign internet providers in low Earth orbit, like SpaceX’s Starlink, are also interested in this market. Starlink should be available in Indonesia in 2024, according to its availability map, after it goes on sale in the Philippines.
