Palapa A1 and A2 were the initial elements of Indonesia's domestic communications satellite system. The spacecraft were identical to Canada's Anik and Western Union's Wasters except for a modified parabolic reflector, enlarged to give maximum illumination of the Indonesian land mass. Operational lives for Palapa A1 and A2 ended June 1985 and January 1988, respectively. Spacecraft: Based on Hughes HS-333 design.1.5 m diameter parabolic reflector with 12 transponders working through 125 Earth stations. Spin stabilised with despun antenna and feeds. Payload: Both satellites carried 12 transponders that provided 4000 voice circuits or 12 simultaneous TV channels to the country's 6000+ inhabited islands.

Spacecraft engaged in practical applications and uses of space technology such as weather or communication (US Cat C).

Deployed by STS-7 6/18/83. Palapa B satellites were four times as powerful and twice the size of their predecessors, the Palapa A series. While the A series was designed for domestic/regional communications within Indonesia, the new system also served the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Palapa B2 was originally placed into a useless orbit due to malfunctions of its PAM-D upper stage. The Indonesian government claimed $75 million insurance and ordered a replacement (B2P), which was successfully orbited 3 years later. The original B2 was recovered by the STS-51A mission on November 12, 1984 under an arrangement between the satellite's insurers, NASA and Hughes. The satellite was then sold by the insurers to an intermediary company, refurbished, and then resold back to Indonesia following its launch in 1990. Spacecraft: Based on Hughes HS-376 design. Cylindrical structure. Spin stabilised. Hydrazine propulsion system for attitude control, orbit maintenance. Body mounted solar cells provide 1060 W BOL. Despun antenna platform. Payload: Each carried 24 C-band transponders (+6 spares).

Deployed from STS 41B 2/4/84; failed to reach proper orbit; recovered by STS-51A.

Stationed at 113 deg W.

Refurbished Palapa B2 retrieved by STS-51A; 107.7 deg E. Communication services for Indonesia, the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), and Papua New Guinea. Launch time 2227:59.719 Z. Launch complex 17, ETR.

Stationed at 118 deg E.

30 C-band, 6 Ku-band transponders. Geostationary at 150.4E. Launch vehicle put payload into supersynchronous earth orbit with IFR/MRS trajectory option.

34 transponders; Geostationary at 113.0E.

The launch vehicle delivered its H-10-3 third stage and the Telkom 1 payload into a 221 km x 35687 km x 7.0 degree geosynchronous transfer orbit 21 minutes after launch. Telkom 1 was owned by PT Telkomunikasi of Indonesia and was a successor to the Palapa series of satellites. Mass of Telkom 1 was 1700 kg in geosynchronous orbit after its on-board engine made the apogee burn. Stationed at 108 deg E.