Thales announces that in a remarkable feat of technological achievement, the Merah Putih-2 telecommunications satellite, previously known as Telkomsat HTS 113BT, has been successfully launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
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Crafted with the goal of fortifying connectivity infrastructure across the Indonesian archipelago, the Merah Putih-2 satellite is poised to elevate digital enterprises by delivering unparalleled quality of service to the Indonesian populace.
Drawing upon the esteemed Spacebus 4000B2 platform developed by Thales Alenia Space, Merah Putih-2, aptly named after the vibrant colors of Indonesia’s flag, is primed to narrow the digital divide throughout the archipelago with its expansive capacity exceeding 32 gigabits per second.
The inception of this high-throughput satellite traces back to a pivotal contract inked in 2021 between Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), and PT Telkom Satelit Indonesia (Telkomsat), the foremost satellite service provider in Indonesia and a subsidiary of PT Telkom Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (Telkom), a state-owned digital telecommunications company.
Under the stewardship of Thales Alenia Space as the prime contractor, the satellite’s journey from conceptualization to realization has been meticulously overseen, encompassing its design, construction, rigorous testing, and ground delivery.
Furthermore, Thales Alenia Space has furnished the requisite ground control segment and conducted extensive theoretical and practical training sessions for Telkomsat engineers, spanning locales in both France and Indonesia, in preparation for seamless satellite operations.
Notably, Thales Alenia Space assumes responsibility for the early orbital positioning phase (LEOP), in-orbit tests (IOT), and will provide steadfast in-orbit support throughout the satellite’s projected lifespan.
With a launch mass of 4 tons, the Merah Putih-2 satellite is poised to operate in the C-band/Ku-Band spectrum and will be stationed in orbit at 113° East, engineered for a design longevity of 15 years. ■