'REMOTE SENSING' FACILITY FOR M'SIA IN OUTER SPACE

By Nurul Halawati Azhari

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 (Bernama) -- Since its launch last July 14, RazakSAT
has played its role as Malaysia's first Remote Sensing Satellite by transmitting
images on geographical topography to the National Space Agency (ANGKASA) located
at Sungai Lang, Banting.

Banting is a principal town in the district of Kuala Langat, Selangor in
Peninsular Malaysia.

One week after RazakSAT's launch, the satellite had successfully transmitted
its first image to ANGKASA.

Now three months into its operations, RazakSAT, developed by Malaysians has
transmitted data on geographical topography, mapping, illegal logging as well as
data needed for agriculture activities.

The images transmitted by RazakSAT are important and assisted the
authorities in managing as well as monitoring land, mining and cultivation
activities apart from surveillance on the country's coast and waters and also
other aspects that are beneficial to the country.

MOVE TO GRASP OUTER SPACE TECHNOLOGY

This remote sensing satellite, launched from Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific
was developed to produce high resolution images from the outer space to earth in
an effort to move the country towards grasping the outer space technology.

Before, the country depended on images provided by the remote sensing
facility from Satellite Operating Agencies (SOAS).

RazakSAT is expected to give Malaysia a major boost in this aspect, as the
satellite named after the country's second Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak
Hussein is placed on the best platform for micro-satellites.

Its orbiting path which is near the Equator enables RazakSAT to obtain
images which are six times better. It will orbit at Near Equator Orbit (NEqO) at
the nominal altitude of 685 km. The orbit's location increases its frequency in
monitoring the earth and climatic changes.

RazakSAT carries a high resolution camera that will record images from outer
space for various applications like agriculture, landscape mapping, warnings on
catastrophes as well as country and urban planning. Meterological studies is
also another important aspect.

Developed and launched at the cost of RM150 million (US$), RazakSAT is set
to
benefit not only Malaysia, but also other countries along the Equatorial belt.

CAPABILITY OF A LOCAL FIRM

RazakSAT was developed by Astronautic Technology (M) Sdn Bhd (ATSB), a
leading entity in Malaysia's satellite development field.

ATSB is also responsible for developing Malaysia's Tsunami Warning System
apart from preparing the operations of the country's first micro-satellite, the
TiungSAT-1.

As for the RazakSAT, the 180kg satellite is designed, developed,
constructed and tested locally and is the country's first remote sensing
satellite that orbits the Equator.

When RazakSAT transmitted its first image last July, Deputy Minister for
Science, Technology and Innovations, Fadillah Yusof said the satellite was
expected to record images with resolutions within the next three months after
some fine-tuning was made to the image-recording and remote sensing features.

She said RazakSAT ws able to orbit the Equator 14 times in a day and
transmitted high resolution images six times.

"We are fine-tuning it for the satellite to be able to have better
transmiting features".

The Deputy Minister was quoted as saying this at the news conference after
the return of the RazakSAT team from Guam and Kwajalein, Marshall Islands
at the KL International Airport (KLIA).

"We also understand that 14 nations have expressed interest to share the
images transmitted from the satellite, such as countries from South America,
Europe, South East Asia apart from South Africa and Japan.

"The satellite's advantage is that it is the first satellite to orbit at the
Equator and this assist us in the meterological forecast apart from monitoring
the security, agriculture and fisheries sectors," she said.

BOOST TO MALAYSIA'S IMAGE

ATSB was established to focus on the studies and development of space
systems using advanced and innovative technologies.

As the pioneer and leader in the field of micro-satellite, ATSB has chalked
numerous success within a short period. This included developing, constructing,
launching and operating Malaysia's first micro-satellite, TiungSAT-1.

This knowledge and experience was utilised to develop Malaysia's second
micro-satellite, the RazakSAT.

More information on ATSB is available at http://www.atsb.my.

-- BERNAMA