Indonesia launches its 1st satellite

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) – Indonesia has launched its first satellite into space to “ensure equal” access to the internet throughout the country.

SpaceX launched the SATRIA-1 satellite on Sunday at 6.21 p.m. (1021GMT) under the PSN SATRIA mission from the Space Force Station in Florida, the US, private firm SpaceX announced on Sunday on its website.

Indonesia’s Acting Communication and Information Technology Minister Mahfud MD told reporters in a Monday press release that they aim to achieve equal access to the internet for everyone as a public service.

He stressed that SATRIA-1 would cover all parts of Indonesia, including remote regions.

It has a capacity of 150 Gbps and will provide internet access to 50,000 public facilities.

Mahfud clarified that the project is unaffected by a court battle over a corruption case involving a 4G base transceiver station.

After its placement, Indonesian satellite communication company Pasifik Satelit Nusantara and European satellite specialist Thales Alenia Space will undertake in-orbit testing to verify the proper functioning of the satellite following the launch, reported Antara News, based in the capital Jakarta.

The testing is expected to last for some three weeks.