Indonesia and SpaceX launch satellite to expand internet access to remote areas
With an investment of $540 million, the project seeks to address the lack of internet connectivity in underdeveloped eastern islands, where most residents are still disconnected from the online world.
Indonesia and Elon Musk’s space company SpaceX successfully launched a large telecommunications satellite from the United States. The $540 million project aims to connect remote areas of the Indonesian archipelago to the internet. While most of Indonesia’s population already has internet access, the underdeveloped eastern islands lack connectivity.
The SATRIA-1 satellite weighs 4.5 tonnes and was built by Thales Alenia Space. It was launched into orbit by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and will occupy the orbital slot above Indonesia’s eastern Papua region. With 150 gigabytes per second capacity, SATRIA-1 will provide internet access to 50,000 public service points, benefiting villages that fibre optics cannot reach.
The project is a partnership between the Indonesian government and PT Satelit Nusantara Tiga, an Indonesian satellite service provider.
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