SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2002
Malaysia to launch military satellite in 2004: Report
AFP
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will develop a micro satellite for a variety of applications including military and intelligence gathering in collaboration with South Korea, a report said on Saturday.
The 50 million ringgit ($13 million) Medium Aperture Camera satellite which would be launched in 2004, is being developed by state-owned Astronautic Technology (M) Sdn. Bhd. (ATSB) and SaTReC Initiative Company of South Korea.
"The pictures will be very sharp and can be used for many purposes including urban planning, land use and national security," Ahmad Sabirin Arshad, ATSB managing director was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times.
Ahmad said Malaysia had to develop its own technology for high resolution satellite imaging as advanced countries were reluctant to sell it.
"No one is going to sell you this kind of technology because they are using it for their own military," he said.
Sixteen ATSB engineers are working on the project in South Korea.
Malaysia's first two satellites, Measat and TiungSAT-1, are used for communications and earth observation.
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