Telkom-1 was a geosynchronous

communications satellite A communications satellite is an artificial satellite that relays and amplifies radio telecommunication signals via a transponder; it creates a communication channel between a source transmitter and a receiver at different locations on Earth ...

built by Lockheed Martin, ( Sunnyvale, California), for Indonesia's state-owned telecommunications company, PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk (PT Telkom). It operated for almost 18 years, more than two years past designed lifetime of 15 years.

Launch

Telkom-1 was successfully launched 12 August 1999, by an Ariane-42P H10-3, from Centre Spatial Guyanais, pad

ELA-2 ELA-2, short for Ensemble de Lancement Ariane 2 (French for Ariane Launch Area 2), was a launch pad at the Centre Spatial Guyanais in French Guiana. It was used by Arianespace for two Ariane 3 launches (V17 in 1986, V25 in 1988), the second Ariane ...

Kourou Kourou () is a commune in French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France in South America. Kourou is famous for being the location of the Guiana Space Centre, the main spaceport of France and the European Space Agency (ESA). It i ...

French Guiana French Guiana ( or ; french: link=no, Guyane ; gcr, label=French Guianese Creole, Lagwiyann ) is an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France on the northern Atlantic coast of South America in the Guianas. ...

, at 22:52 UTC and positioned in geostationary orbit, at 108° East for replaced Palapa-B2R.

Satellite description

Based on Lockheed Martin A2100A

satellite bus A satellite bus (or spacecraft bus) is the main body and structural component of a satellite or spacecraft, in which the payload and all scientific instruments are held. Bus-derived satellites are opposed to specially produced satellites. Bus- ...

, Telkom-1 features communications satellite technology, with 24 C-band and 12 Enhanced C-band

transponders In telecommunications, a transponder is a device that, upon receiving a signal, emits a different signal in response. The term is a blend of ''transmitter'' and ''responder''. In air navigation or radio frequency identification, a flight tran ...

. The new spacecraft replaced on-orbit Palapa-B2R satellite, improve communications coverage across

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

, and allow PT Telkom to expand its coverage area into

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainlan ...

and the

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...

. Launch had been delayed because of problems with comsat manufacturing. Telkom-1 is a successor to the

Palapa Palapa is a series of Communications satellites owned by Indosat, an Indonesian telecommunications company (formerly by Perumtel and then by PT Satelit Palapa Indonesia/Satelindo). Starting with the first in July 1976, at which time Indon ...

series of satellites, the first ( Palapa-A1) of which was launched in 1976. Mass of Telkom-1 is launch, in geostationary orbit (GEO).

Mission

Telkom-1 had developed problems with the south solar panel drive, due to a manufacturing error. The satellite was planned to be decommissioned in 2018 and to be replaced by

Telkom-4 Telkom 4 also known as Merah Putih, is an Indonesian geostationary communication satellite built by Space Systems/Loral that is located at an orbital position of 108° East and is operated by PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk. This satellite is ...

. On 25 August 2017, Telkom-1 lost contact and suffered a massive debris shedding event, and Telkom-1 was retired without being able to move itself into a graveyard orbit.

References

External links

Telkom-2

Communications satellites Satellites using the A2100 bus Satellites in geosynchronous orbit Lockheed Martin satellites and probes Satellites of Indonesia {{satellite-stub