Indonesia's space agency prepares educational s
Indonesia's National Flight and Space Agency (LAPAN) will help launching program of communication satellite to support long distance education held by the Ministry for the National Education, Kompas daily quoted an official as saying on Saturday.
The satellite named after the country's prominent education hero Ki Hajar Dewantara will be connected to 50,000 points (schools).
The agency's head Adi Sadewo Salatun said on Friday that "tele-education satellite" will refer to concept implemented by many countries like India, China and Nigeria.
The Ki Hajar Dewantara Satellite Program will be prepared in three years, starting from system engineering, tele-education infrastructure preparation to the satellite launch and operation.
Currently, the program is still in feasible study phase, which is expected to take six months.
The satellite operation is expected to help solving problem of the lack of skilled educators and experts in remote areas, Adi said.
The infrastructure could provide knowledge dissemination to villages about health, cleanliness and personal development as well as to help professionals in increasing their knowledge.
The ministry allocated 200 million U.S. dollars for the program preparation to the satellite launch.
The tele-education satellite weighted 820 kg will be launched at the geo-stationer orbit or at height of 36,000 km. The equipment will be loaded with 12 transponders, consisting of education, telemedicine, defense and back-up ones.
The eight education transponder will serve interactive class in200 points and non-interactive class in 40,000 points.