Indonesia launches government-owned satellite on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket


Jakarta: Indonesia successfully launched its first government-owned internet satellite, SATRIA-1, with the assistance of Elon Musk's SpaceX. 

The satellite aims to provide internet access to remote parts of the country, connecting thousands of schools, hospitals, and government buildings spread across Indonesia's 17,000 islands.

With more than one-third of Indonesia's population lacking internet access, the European-built SATRIA-1 holds great promise for bridging the digital divide. 

The satellite, manufactured by French defense electronics company Thales, was launched from a Florida launch station aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

Costing $540 million, SATRIA-1 is expected to significantly improve connectivity in Indonesia.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo highlighted the satellite's importance in an Instagram post, describing it as the country's "first government-owned multi-function satellite with the biggest capacity in Asia." 

The satellite will orbit above Papua province, Indonesia's easternmost region.

Acting Communication and Informatics Minister Mahfud MD emphasized that SATRIA-1 would prioritize distributing internet access for education, healthcare, and public services in remote and isolated areas. 

The satellite is projected to be operational by 2024 and will provide a connection speed of 150 gigabytes per second, three times faster than the current satellite internet speed in the archipelago.

Thales, in a press release, stated that SATRIA-1 would play a crucial role in bridging the digital divide in Indonesia and become the most powerful satellite in Southeast Asia. 

The construction of the satellite faced delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine, according to Erry Riyana Hardjapamekas, President Commissioner of PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (PSN), during the launch event. 

PSN is a key partner in the project, collaborating with the Indonesian government.

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