Indonesia asks ITU for more time for new satellites
June 15, 2023
By Chris Forrester
Indonesia is at risk of running out of time to bring into use its stop-gap craft (GS-1) for the important Nusantara-3/Satria-1 satellite. It is asking the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) for more time. If granted, it will be the fourth such extension of time allowed by the ITU.
The small GS-1 satellite was launched on May 1st by SpaceX (it was a co-passenger on the Viasat-3 launch flight) and is now raising itself to its initial target orbital position of 116.1 degrees East. The orbit raising timetable is expected to last about 10 weeks and started on June 12. The final orbital position is 146 degrees East.
Then there will be a period of testing. Indonesia’s Ministry of Communications and Informatics has asked the ITU for a one-month extension to its existing obligatory date of July 31st to bring the satellite into use. Indonesia now wants August 31st as the obligation date.
The extension request will be considered by the ITU’s Radio Regulations Board and comes with some strong support. The craft was always intended to be a co-passenger on the Viasat-3 launch but the Viasat timetable slipped badly over the past two years and not helped by Covid problems on its build and readiness to launch.
However, the actual Nusantara-3/Satria-1 satellite which will replace the temporary GS-1 is due for launch this month by SpaceX. Nusantara-3/Satria-1 satellite has been built by Thales Alenia Space.