BRIN Ready to Launch Own Satellite from India in January 2027

Head of BRIN Arif Satria. (Teddy VOI)

JAKARTA - Indonesia is preparing to launch a satellite made by the National Research and Innovation Agency or BRIN from India in early January 2027. The satellite is prepared to support food security, environmental monitoring, and satellite image needs.

BRIN Head Arif Satria said the launch plan was part of Indonesia and India's cooperation in the space sector. So far, BRIN has been working with the Indian Space Research Organisation or ISRO in monitoring Indian satellites from Biak, Papua.

"BRIN with ISRO as a space agency in India has indeed collaborated to monitor satellites in Biak," said Arif at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, Tuesday, July 7.

Arif said the next cooperation was the launch of BRIN's production satellite in India. The launch is targeted to take place in early January 2027.

"We will launch a satellite produced by BRIN in India, God willing, early January 2027," said Arif.

According to Arif, the satellite will be used for domestic strategic interests. One of them is to support food security through production monitoring. The satellite is also used to monitor the environment, forest conditions, and natural resources.

"The satellite is for food security, for monitoring, monitoring production developments, and also for the environment. So about what the forest conditions are like, and some things related to natural resources," he said.

Arif emphasized that the satellite was a BRIN product. He said that the majority of the domestic components or TKDN in the design and production of the satellite came from BRIN. The satellite that was made was a microsatellite, that is, a small-sized satellite.

"The majority of TKDN in the design and production of BRIN is because its name is a microsatellite, which is still small," said Arif.

He said Indonesia actually already has several BRIN production satellites in orbit. However, the satellite that will be launched in 2027 is the latest version.

The satellite was made in Bogor and the production process took about a year. Arif said the satellite had not been given a name.

"Belum namanya. Kita nanti tunggu Presiden," katanya.

Arif assessed the ability to produce satellites itself is important for Indonesia. However, he also admitted that the launch was still carried out from India. The government targets, in the future Indonesia can launch satellites from its own territory after the spaceport is completed.

"Until now, BRIN satellites have been launched from India. In the future, we hope to launch from us," said Arif.

He said Indonesia needs to start taking a role in three major space issues. First, the space economy. Second, space defense. Third, space sustainability.

"Space economy, space defense, and space sustainability. These are three issues that I think we should start taking a role," said Arif.

If the space airport is completed, Arif hopes that BRIN satellites will no longer have to be launched from India. Indonesia also wants to open up opportunities to serve the launch of satellites belonging to other countries.