JAKARTA, June 21 – Indonesia has successfully launched its first satellite, SATRIA-1, with the aim of expanding internet coverage to underserved regions, including disadvantaged, frontier, and outermost (3T) areas. The satellite, which was launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC 40) in the US, seeks to bridge the digital divide and promote inclusion in the country’s digital economy. SATRIA-1 is designed to provide internet access throughout the entire Indonesian territory, including remote and hard-to-reach areas.
The satellite launch is part of Indonesia’s efforts to promote equal development and ensure that all citizens have access to essential online services, such as education, healthcare, public services, and security. Mahfud MD, the acting Minister of Communication and Informatics, emphasized the significance of SATRIA-1 in distributing internet access equitably.
“This first Indonesian satellite, SATRIA-1, aims to distribute internet access evenly, particularly for purposes of education, medical, public services, the military, and the police force,” he stated. The satellite was launched using a Falcon 9 rocket provided by Space X, an American private spacecraft manufacturer and launch company. Following a ten-minute launch, SATRIA-1 will move to its designated orbit point at 146 degrees East Longitude.
Arief Tri Hardiyanto, the acting president director of the Telecommunication and Information Accessibility Agency (BAKTI), expressed his gratitude to the Indonesian people for their support in achieving this milestone. “It was a great achievement and success, thanks to the support of all Indonesian people,” he remarked at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Once in orbit, PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (PSN) and Thales Alenia Space (TAS) will conduct In-Orbit Testing of the satellite for three weeks to ensure its proper functioning.
The subsequent phase will be the In-Orbit Acceptance Review (IOAR), scheduled for the first week of December 2023. The Ministry of Communication and Informatics (KOMINFO) will closely monitor the internet service quality provided by SATRIA-1. It is expected that Indonesians will gradually be able to utilize the satellite’s internet capacity starting from January 2024.
The construction of SATRIA-1 began in 2019, with the objective of providing equal internet access to public facilities, especially in the 3T regions. The satellite, with a capacity of 150 Gbps, will expand broadband coverage to 50,000 public facility points in the 3T regions, including schools, hospitals, community health centers, village offices, sub-district offices, and security service centers. Internet speeds at these points will reach 4 Mbps, four times higher than the previously projected speed of 1 Mbps per point in 2018.
In addition to SATRIA-1, the ministry has plans to launch a Hot Backup Satellite (HBS) in the third quarter of 2023. The Communication and Informatics Ministry sees satellites as the most efficient and effective means of ensuring equitable internet distribution across Indonesia. With the launch of SATRIA-1, Indonesia takes a significant step forward in expanding internet access and connecting underserved regions, fostering digital inclusion, and enabling socio-economic growth through enhanced connectivity.
