Sci-Edu
November 18, 2005
Indonesia's Telkom-2 satellite launched
After nine delays since November last year, the Telkom-2 satellite of the biggest state telecommunications company, PT Telkom Indonesia, was finally launched from Kourou, French Guyana, on Wednesday afternoon, or at 6:46 a.m. on Thursday in Jakarta, a local media reported here Friday.
The 1,975 kg satellite was launched along with the Spaceway satellite of Direct TV boosted by the Ariane 5 ECA rocket to 188 degrees East Longitude at an altitude of 36,000 kms.
The 170 million-US dollar satellite will conduct its mission for 15 years replacing Palapa B4 Satellite, the service of which had expired in May 2003, the Jakarta Post said.
The launching would support the company's commercial operations and is part of Indonesia's strategic telecommunications infrastructure development, the paper quoted an official as saying.
Because of its geography, Indonesia is highly reliant on telecommunications satellites.
Source: Xinhua
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