LAPAN planning to launch own satellite

Bantul, Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Aeronautics and Space Agency LAPAN is planning to put its own satellite in orbit this year, a spokesman said.

"Right now we are still making preparations for the launching of the satellite named "Nano" with a rocket. The satellite will weigh less than 10 kilograms," head of LAPAN`s applied technology center, Dr Rika Andiarti, said on the sidelines of an Indonesia Rocket Competition 2010 at Pandansimo beach, Bantul, Yogyakarta, here on Saturday.

She said the "Nano" satellite would be used to monitor temperatures in the atmosphere or air humidity as well as for collecting other small data.

"In the future, we hope, we will be able to launch a bigger satellite for telecommunication and other purposes," she said.

She said LAPAN was currently making preparations for various tests for the launching of the rocket that would carry the satellite into space.

"In the next five years we must be able to produce a rocket to launch a bigger satellite so that Indonesia will no longer ask for help from other countries to launch a satellite," she said.

Vice dean of state Gajahmada University`s Technical Faculty Prof Dr Djamasri said by being able to put its own satellite in orbit Indonesia would be in a position to ensure its security in better ways.

"Now Indonesia still has to ask for help from other countries to put a satellite in orbit and this is risky because other countries could illicitly use the rocket and satellite also for their own interests," he said.

He said aeronautic technology especially concerning rockets was very useful and could be used for various purpuses such as disaster mitigation. It could also be used to support the country`s defense system, he said.

"If we can create a rocket able to cover a distance of 3,000 to 5,000 kilometers, our defense system will be stronger and other countries can then not treat us lightly," he said.  (*)

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