RAZAKSAT SET FOR APR 21 LAUNCH

KUALA LUMPUR, March 12 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's second earth observation
micro satellite, RazakSAT, is ready to be launched on Apr 21 according to
Astronautic Technology (M) Sdn Bhd (ATSB).

It will be launched from the Bucholz Army Airfield at Kwajalein Island.

Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Fadillah Yusof, said
about RM150 million had been spent on research and development, launching and
operation cost for the satellite.

He said if the satellite was built abroad, the cost could go up as high as
US$150 million (US$1=RM3.64).

"We have looked at the potential returns from the deployment of the
satellite. We will reap not only the tangible returns but also the intangible,"
he told a media briefing on the satellite here Thursday.


Fadillah said the satellite development has helped in the development of
human expertise locally, improved the technology know-how and developed
space-related technology further.

"For example, some technologies that are used in RazakSAT are marketable,
and we are selling these sensors abroad. Germany has bought one," he said.

He said RazakSAT would be placed in the Earth's Near Equatorial Orbit to
allow it to take images over Malaysia frequently compared to other existing
satellites.

"The images will be used for remote sensing applications such as in
agriculture, urban planning, disaster management, mapping and security.

"With the satellite in place, the country can be self-reliant in obtaining
satellite images and thus saving cost and benefitting it and nations along the
the Equator," he said.

Fadillah said after the deployment of RazakSAT, ATSB would look at the
development of communication satellites.

ATSB is wholly-owned by the Minister of Finance Inc. It comes under the
supervision of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

It is responsible for designing, developing, manufacturing, launching and
in-orbit delivery of the RazakSAT.
-- BERNAMA