(continued)

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The First Generation of PALAPA (PALAPA-A)

Agreement with Contractors and Launchers.

Soon after the president announced officially the domestic satellite program as a national program for the 1975-76 budget year, negotiations commenced between the Indonesian government and the prospective contractors, i.e., the Hughes Aircraft Company, Aero Ford (Philco Ford), and Federal Electric, an affiliate of ITT.

Source: Tempo Magazine archives

The negotiations covered the construction of a pair of satellites and earth stations.[50] Will Turk and R.L. Bowman of Hughes Aircraft Company were appointed as project manager and vice project manager, respectively. However, they were later replaced by Llyod Harisson, who had previous experience as project manager for the Canadian satellite project.[51]

The contracts concerning the construction of the domestic satellite system were signed on February 15, 1975, with three American companies: (1) Hughes Aircraft Company was to build a pair of communications satellites, the main control station at Cibinong, and five major as well as four minor earth stations in Java, Bali and Nusatenggara. (2) Philco Ford Overseas Services was to build seven major and eight minor earth stations in Sumatra, Kalimantan, and part of Sulawesi; and (3) Federal Electric International (ITT) was to build six major earth stations, and nine minor ones in Sulawesi, Maluku and Irian Jaya. As for the civil works construction of the earth stations, two domestic contractors won the tenders. They were C.V. Modern Jaya and P.T. Graha Gapura.[52]

To ensure the launching of the satellite, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed in March 1975 between the Indonesian government and NASA. The memorandum was strengthened by the exchange of diplomatic notes signed by Indonesia's Ambassador to the United States, Roesmin Noerjadin, and Dixy Lee Ray, representing the United States. Finally, on May 1, 1975, the actual agreement for launching the satellites was signed by the Director General of Posts and Telecommunications, Soehardjono of Indonesia, and Noel W. Hinners of NASA.[53]

The agreement concerning the insurance of the satellites was made on April 28, 1975, between PERUMTEL and P.T. Asuransi Jasa Indonesia. On the same day, agreements relating to civil engineering were signed with the two local contractors previously mentioned.[54]

Management and Funding

After contracts were signed, the project management was appointed. The project manager A. Ph. Djiwatampu, was to be assisted by two deputy project managers, Harjana Sutarja and Muhaimin. Saleh Bunawan was also appointed as PERUMTEL's representative in El Segundo, California, and was assisted by an American consultant. The later was to help in supervising the satellite construction. In order to construct the earth stations, 12 project divisions, 40 heads of project sub-divisions, the telecommunications staff, and some civil engineers were appointed.[55]

A total of US$ 161.6 million was needed for the first generation of the Indonesian domestic satellite system. The Export-Import Bank of Washington D.C., provided US$ 56.6 million, the U.S. Consortium Bank US$ 89 million, and the Consortium Bank Commercial US$ 15.8 million, while the Indonesian government paid the remaining US$ 165.5 thousand.[56]

According to Emil Salim, Minister of Communications, the total budget for the telecommunication system was US$ 1.4 billion. Only 12.5 percent (US$ 178.7 million) of the money was used to acquire and to launch the two satellites and to build the 40 initial earth stations. The biggest portion of the budget went to the telephone and telex expansion to all provinces of Indonesia, i.e., almost 80 percent.[57] The remaining 8 percent was used to modernize and/or build new radio and television stations.[58]

Coordination with Other Systems

The International Telecommunications Union regulation states, among other things, that no new telecommunications system can begin operations until it has been coordinated with both Radio regulations and the International Frequencies Registration Board (IFRB). It also need to be entered into the Master Register.[59] As a member of INTELSAT, Indonesia needed to coordinate its planned system with that of INTELSAT in order to operate its own satellite system.

Indonesian telecommunications officials at the time assumed that INTELSAT was disappointed with the fact that Indonesia had already gone too far by not only signing contracts with Hughes Aircraft and other companies, but also by signing agreements with the government of the United States concerning the launching of satellites before consulting INTELSAT.[60]

At the XVI Board of Governors (BG) of INTELSAT meeting in 1975, Indonesia mentioned the reasons why it needed a domestic satellite, which INTELSAT found it difficult to agree with. INTELSAT even contacted the U.S. State Department concerning the launching agreement. The Department affirmed its decision to complete its part of the agreement with or without INTELSAT's consent. NASA would by all means launch the Indonesian satellites. At that meeting, the General Secretary of INTELSAT issued a paper (BG-16-70 DS, July 14, 1975) about the coordination of the Indonesian domestic satellite. It stated that Indonesia's planned satellites can only be stationed 92.1 degrees on the eastern longitude or could be put 83 degrees on the eastern longitude for just two years. Indonesia would also be required to agree to abide by certain limitations set by INTELSAT on some transponders.[61]

The Indonesian delegations, together with other members of the ASIAN group, issued an answering paper the following day. It stated that there was a need for agreement about the Indonesian satellites. However, if agreement was not reached, Indonesia would go on with the project without further negotiation with INTELSAT. On receiving the Indonesian response and seeing how strong it was, INTELSAT asked Indonesia to compromise - Indonesia should cancel its paper and INTELSAT, in turn, will cancel its paper. Agreements and disagreements thus continued among INTELSAT delegates through the last day of meeting.[62]

Realizing how uncertain things had become, especially at the last day's meeting, the Indonesian delegation urged that a decision be made on the Indonesian satellite before 12:00 P.M. Their reason was that the nature of the decision was such that there was a need for agreement to occur at the highest levels at INTELSAT. Finally, INTELSAT agreed that Indonesia's satellite could be put in orbit at 83 degrees on the eastern longitude. An agreement in the Memorandum of Understanding would be prepared in the future by both parties, and would be legalized at the next BG meeting. This agreement did not, however, take effect at the XVII BG Meeting in September. Indeed, the Indonesian satellite was not mentioned at all at this meeting.[63]

At the XVIII BG meeting in November 1975, Indonesia which received support from the ASPAC group (Singapore and Malaysia), the East African Group (Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania), as well as Brazil and Canada, finally received INTELSAT's consent. The Memorandum of Understanding between the Indonesian government and INTELSAT, was eventually signed on November 25, 1975. On November 26, 1975 the PALAPA system was registered to the IFRB in Geneva.[64]

Specifications and Coverage

The pair of PALAPA-A satellites were identical to the early generations of ANIK and WESTAR satellites which Hughes Aircraft Company built for the domestic satellite systems of Canada and the United States (See picture of PALAPA A). PALAPA-A had 12 transponders with an average capacity of 6,000 voice circuits or 12 simultaneous color television channels, or any combination of the two. The satellites were 3.41 meters in height (including antennas), and 1.9 meters in diameter.

Palapa A. Source: http://www.boeing.com/

Their launch weight was 574 kilograms, while their orbit weight was 297 kilograms. The design lifetime of the satellite in orbit was seven years. The location of PALAPA-A1 and A-2 were around 77 degrees and 83 degrees on the eastern longitude.[65]

With specially designed antenna, the satellite's signal power was concentrated on all Indonesian islands as well as the surrounding areas of Southeast Asia: Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines (See the coverage).[66] Located on all major islands of Indonesia, the original earth stations were 40 in number, with one master control, 19 major and 20 other minor stations.

The space and earth segments of PALAPA-A were controlled and operated by PERUMTEL. The 12 transponders of the PALAPA-A were allocated mostly for point-to-point telecommunication facilities. In fact, seven out of the nine transponders allocated for Indonesia, were used by PERUMTEL, one was used by the Television Republic of Indonesia (TVRI), and the other for the Ministry of Defence and Security. Three ASEAN countries were also using PALAPA-A transponders (the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia) at this time. Another PALAPA-A transponder was being used for occasional ASEAN Television programs.

The Launching, Naming and Inauguration

The PALAPA-A1 satellite was brought from El Segundo, California to the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida to be launched by Rocket Thor Delta 2914. This happened at 7:31 P.M. Florida time, on July 8, 1976, (or at 6:31 am western Indonesian time, on July 9, 1976).
Source: Tempo Magazine archives

Only 26 minutes into the launching, the PALAPA-A satellite traveled at a speed of 35,217 kilometers per hour, and entered its elliptical transfer at an apogee of 35,000 kilometers and perigee of 231.6 kilometers. When the satellite entered its orbit slot, the apogee engine was fired from the main control at Cibinong, Indonesia at 14.17 Western Indonesian time on July 12, 1976. In short, the launching procedure was successful.[67]

After watching the launching process of the satellite via television in Jakarta, President Suharto mentioned his reason for naming the Indonesian satellite PALAPA. The president, among others, said the name of PALAPA was derived from the oath proclaimed in 1334 by Gajah Mada, the Prime Minister of Majapahit Kingdom. It is chosen as the name of the satellite because it shows that Indonesia had glorious eras before colonialism. Also with hope that the system can be used to unite the archipelago and to realize Indonesia's goals, especially to a prosperous and just society.[68]

On the occasion of the thirty-first anniversary of Indonesian independence, on August 16, 1976, President Suharto inaugurated the domestic communications satellite system in Parliament House, Jakarta. After unveiling and signing the plaque to mark the official inauguration of the satellite, the President spoke by telephone via the PALAPA system with the Governor of Ache, Muzakir Walad in Banda Aceh (the most western part of the archipelago), and to the Governor of Irian Jaya, Sultran, in Jayapura. Then the Governor of Ache in his turn, made a telephone call to the Regent of Merauke, Jacob Pattipi, on the eastern-most part of the country.[69]

Thus within a matter of two years after the President's announcement that the domestic satellite project would be a national project, and about 18 months after the contract had been signed, all of Indonesia's islands were linked electronically with a high-technology telecommunications system from its western to its eastern extremities. This meant that the unification of the archipelago, at least in terms of telecommunications, had become reality for the first time since Gajah Mada declared the PALAPA oath to unite the archipelago six centuries ago.

As with all other communications satellite systems, a back-up system in orbit is a must. The PALAPA-A2, as the back up of the PALAPA-A1, was launched on March 10, 1977 at 6:16 P.M. Florida time, or at 6:24 A.M. Western Indonesian time, on March 11, 1977. The launching of PALAPA-A2 was also successful. It reached its geostationary orbit on the 77 degree eastern longitude side.

Conclusion

Virtually all developing countries have shared and participated in communications satellite activities. This technology is available to developing countries primarily because of the diffusive nature of the technology. Stationed in the GSO, communication satellites with global beams ignore the national borders, ideologies, religions, races, and levels of economic development of the country they serve. In addition, communications satellites are available for developing countries because of the existence of international, regional, and national systems that provide facilities to them. They include INTELSAT, INTERSPUTNIK and IMMARSAT international systems, EUTELSAT and ARABSAT regional systems; and PALAPA, INSAT, BRAZILSAT, MORELOS, and STW systems that specifically serve developing nations.

Both internal and external factors and actors have contributed to developing countries becoming involved in communications satellite activities. External factors and actors were found to be dominant in the applications of communications satellites for international communications. On the other hand, internal factors and actors were found to be determinant in acquiring communications satellites for domestic purposes. PALAPA, for example, was the result of strong political commitment by the Indonesian government. The system has been used primarily for national unification programs and to facilitate the realization of the Archipelagic Concept (Wawasan Nusantara).

In fact, PALAPA has been, in part, responsible for the national integration of Indonesia, i.e., to link all the provinces, as well as the major industrial sites, with high quality point-to-point communications; to broadcast national radio and television down to village levels; and to support the armed forces communication networks. These were the initial goals for PALAPA; therefore the system is serving its purposes. Even though Indonesia is the pioneer in establishing a communication satellite system for domestic purposes in the developing world, it has done very little to employ this technology for community development programs. In other words, the potential uses of the technology for community developments (i.e., education, health, rural development, agricultural extensions) have not been employed on a large scale. Other community programs have been integrated with, and sometimes are overshadowed by national news, cultural, sports, and entertainment programs.

In Indonesia, the basic hindrances to optimal usage of the satellite capacities for community development programming have been mainly the limited availability of programming facilities and personnel, and the lack of cooperation among the parties involved. Unlike the situation in the United States, where satellites came into being after other supporting means had been well established, e.g., studies, well-trained personnel, sophisticated equipment, etc., Indonesia obtained its satellite before other supporting systems were available. Therefore, under-utilization of the system, especially in the early stages, couldn't be avoided.

In fact, the under-utilization of satellites capabilities is also found in point-to-point communications. Even though PALAPA has circled the globe for some time, Indonesian telephone density is still among the lowest in the world. This is caused partly by the fact that the supporting systems were still very fragmented, particularly the switching and terminal equipment. The shortage of funds, limited skilled manpower, rigid regulations, and lack of cooperation among major actors were found to be basic hindrances in speeding up the availability of telephone service in Indonesia.

Despite the limitations above, PALAPA was found to be very useful in integrating the country. It has effectively "united" the Indonesians six centuries after the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Majapahit, Gajah Mada, declared his PALAPA oath in 1334. If the United States was truly united with the invention of railways and the telegraph, Indonesia is hopeful that its unification will come as a result of the extensive use of airplanes, ships, and satellite communications.

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