RAZAKSAT SUCCESSFULLY BLASTS OFF INTO SPACE

KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 (Bernama) -- RazakSAT, Malaysia'second remote
sensing satellite, blasted off into space at 11.35 am Malaysian time from
Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean's Marshall Islands.

Twenty minutes into launch, the 180kg satellite entered the Near Equatorial
Orbit (NEqO) to become the world's first remote sensing satellite launched into
the NEqO, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation said in a statement
here Tuesday.

The launch at Omelek Island using Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX)'s
launcher Falcon 1 went smoothly after a four hour delay due to the need to
fulfill some technical requirements.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili and
officials from the ministry and agency Astronautic Technology (M) Sdn Bhd were
in Guam to witness the launch via webcasting.

Simultaneously, the ministry officials led by Deputy Minister Fadillah Yusof
watched the launch and held a teleconference with the group in Guam via
webcasting at the National Space Centre in Banting, Selangor.

There was an air of jubilance when the satellite, named after Malaysia's
second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, blasted into space after a
drizzle and strong wind at the launch site.

Dr Ongkili said the launch was historical not only for Malaysia but the
world. The satellite will orbit the NEqO at an altitude of nominal 685km.

"I congratulate ATSB for building Malaysia's own RazakSAT 1Malaysia World
First NEqO Satellite," Dr Ongkili said.

RazakSAT carries a high resolution camera that can take images from space
for different applications to benefit not only Malaysia, but countries along the
equatorial region.

The orbital location will enable an increased frequency of image
observation, and the images can be applied to precision farming, landscape
mapping, forest biomass, marine spatial planning, disaster mitigation, urban and
road network planning.

Dr Ongkili said that while other satellites operate on polar orbit (Sun
Synchronous Orbit), the RazakSAT® operates at NEqO and will cover 70 percent of
the oceans, where weather phenomena such as La Nina originate.

"This will allow scientists to study and monitor various critical factors
that will contribute significantly to science," he said.

Several countries in Asia, the African continent and Latin America have
expressed interest in utilising the images captured by RazakSAT, he said.

Malaysia, he said, would also be offering the data to contribute to the
field of knowledge to benefit societies all over the equatorial region.

Remote Sensing Malaysia, an agency within the ministry, would be responsible
for receiving the data from RazakSAT and developing its applications, Dr Ongkili
said.

RazakSAT is a continuation of the TiungSAT-1 programme, the country's first
remote sensing satellite launched in 2000. However, RazakSAT is a fully
functional satellite in monitoring the earth's surface and environment.

Dr Ongkili is confident the achievement would propel and inspire the
ministry's agencies and Malaysians at large to continue to strive to be
innovative and creative, particularly as the country celebrates the Year of
Creativity and Innovation next year.

"We aim to make a mark for Malaysia in the world of science and innovation,
not just by exploring the borderless world but to go beyond, into space," he
added.

He also announced that SpaceX has agreed to launch the two micro-satellites
CubeSAT and InnoSAT, meant for educational purposes, next year on Falcon 9.

CubeSAT was developed by ATSB while InnoSAT by three local universities,
namely Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and Universiti
Malaysia Perlis.

Dr Ongkili attributed the success of RazakSAt to the national leaders -
former prime ministers Tun Mahathir Mohamad and Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as
well as current Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak - for their unwavering
support, confidence and visionary leadership in innovating RazakSAT.

The RazakSAT® satellite will be operated through its ground segment in
Malaysia, consisting of a Mission Control Station (MCS) and Image Receiving and
Processing Station (IRPS).
-- BERNAMA