Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom) has ordered a new satellite for 118E after the last bird it sent to that orbital slot failed to reach it on a Proton rocket two years ago. Thales Alenia Space will build the Telkom-3S spacecraft, to be based on its new…
Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom) has ordered a new satellite for 118E after the last bird it sent to that orbital slot failed to reach it on a Proton rocket two years ago.
Thales Alenia Space will build the Telkom-3S spacecraft, to be based on its new generation Spacebus 4000B2 platform, and it is aiming for an Arianespace launch at the end of 2016.
The manufacturer also built the payload for the earlier Telkom-3, which was based on ISS-Reshetnev’s Express-1000 bus but was destroyed after its rocket failed during a federal mission in August 2012. Telkom-3 had shared the doomed launch vehicle with Russian satellite operator RSCC’s Express-MD2 satellite.
SatelliteFinance understands that Telkom-3 was insured for US$180m through Marsh, while Express-MD2 was covered for US$40m through Aon/ISB.
The new Telkom-3S will be fitted with 24 C-band transponders to cover Indonesia and Southeast Asia, and eight extended C-band transponders for Indonesia and a part of Malaysia. It will also come with 10 Ku-band transponders to specifically target Indonesia with HDTV and remote GSM/internet services.
“After an open international tender conducted by Telkom, we are very pleased that Telkom has renewed its trust in working with us,” said Thales Alenia Space CEO Jean-Loïc Galle.
“It’s very fulfilling to be able to support our customer’s business development. The deployment of Telkom-3S will enhance Telkom’s broadcast capacity and provide valuable services for enterprises, IP backbones and mobile network backhauling. Telkom-3S will be the 80th Spacebus satellite built by Thales Alenia Space and it’s the fifth telecom programme we have won since the beginning of the year.”
The operator, which could not be reached before the press deadline, has previously indicated plans to procure Telkom-3S through undisclosed partners.
It currently has two satellites in orbit: The Telkom-1 satellite at 108E that looks set to expire next year, and the Telkom-2 bird at 118E that has fuel for at least until 2020.
The group was forced to lease capacity from other operators following the loss of Telkom-3.
Its expanding fleet comes amid increasing competition in the Indonesian market, prompted by rising disposable incomes and a geography that lends itself to satellite services.
Earlier this year the country’s state-owned Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) became the first bank in the world to order a communications satellite, tapping Space Systems Loral to build a platform for secure banking connection services. Its satellite aims to be at 150.5E in 2016, which is the same location that local satellite operator Indosat was eyeing when it ordered a bird last year from Orbital Sciences.
Meanwhile Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (PSN), another domestic rival, is also looking to expand. PSN, which describes itself as the country’s first private satellite telecoms company, ordered an all-electric 702SP satellite from Boeing in December 2013. It is targeting a launch in mid-2016.
