Indonesia Had 9 Satellites in 2019

Satellites are man-made devices that help relay communication signals, including telephone, data, and television broadcasts. Indonesia's archipelagic geography, stretching from Sabang to Merauke, necessitates the use of satellites to connect communication signals.

According to data from the Directorate General of Postal and Informatics Services of the Ministry of Communication and Informatics, Indonesia had nine satellites in 2019. Six were Geostationary Orbit (GSO) satellites and three were non-GSO satellites.

The six GSO satellites were: Merah Putih Satellite at 180 degrees East Longitude (EL), Indostar-2 Satellite at 108.2 degrees EL, Palapa-D Satellite at 113 degrees EL, Telkom-3S Satellite at 118 degrees EL, Nusantara Satu Satellite at 146 degrees EL, and BRISAT Satellite at 150.5 degrees EL.

The three non-GSO satellites were operated by the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (LAPAN). These were the LAPAN-TUBSAT Satellite, LAPANSAT Satellite, and LAPAN-A3 Satellite.

GSO satellites are generally used for commercial purposes and orbit the earth once every 24 hours at an altitude of approximately 36,000 km. Non-GSO satellites are typically used for remote sensing, such as research or surveillance.