| Telkom-4 | |
| Names List: | Merah Putih |
| Mission Type: | Communications |
| Operator: | PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk |
| Cospar Id: | 2018-064A [1] |
| Satcat: | 43587 |
| Website: | https://telkomsat.co.id/id/ |
| Mission Duration: | 16 years (planned) (in progress) |
| Spacecraft: | Merah Putih |
| Spacecraft Type: | SSL 1300 |
| Spacecraft Bus: | LS-1300 |
| Manufacturer: | Space Systems/Loral |
| Launch Mass: | [2] |
| Launch Date: | 7 August 2018, 05:18 UTC |
| Launch Rocket: | Falcon 9 Block 5, B1046.2 |
| Launch Site: | Cape Canaveral, SLC-40 |
| Launch Contractor: | SpaceX |
| Entered Service: | October 2018 |
| Orbit Reference: | Geocentric orbit[3] |
| Orbit Regime: | Geostationary orbit |
| Orbit Longitude: | 108° East |
| Apsis: | gee |
| Trans Band: | 60 C-Band |
| Trans Coverage: | Indonesia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, India |
| Programme: | Palapa constellation |
| Previous Mission: | Telkom-3S |
| Next Mission: | Telkomsat Merah Putih 2 |
Telkom 4, also known as Merah Putih, is an Indonesian geostationary communication satellite built by Space Systems/Loral that is located at an orbital position of 108° East and is operated by PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk. The satellite is based on the SSL 1300 satellite bus and has a life expectancy of 16 years. It was launched on 7 August 2018, at 05:18 UTC or 12:18 Jakarta Time, using the SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 launcher from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, United States.[4] [5]
This satellite carries 60 active transponders consisting of 24 C-Band transponders and 12 Extended C-Band transponders which will serve the Southeast Asia region, including Indonesia, as well as 24 C-Band transponders which will reach the South Asia region. The satellite relies on the SSL 1300 satellite bus with a design life of 16 years with up to 21 years of fuel remaining. The development of the Merah Putih Satellite involves two U.S. companies, namely SSL as a satellite manufacturer and SpaceX as a launch service provider. The total mass of the satellite is 5800kg (12,800lb). Telkom-4 is devoted to serving high-definition television (HDTV) broadcasts, GSM and Internet services.
Telkom-4 was launched using the SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 first stage B1046.2 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), Florida, United States on 7 August 2018, at 01:18 UTC. The launch was the first time SpaceX reused one of the Block 5 variant of the Falcon 9 rocket boosters.[6] After successfully separating from the second stage, the first stage landed on the SpaceX drone ship Of Course I Still Love You.
The launch of the Telkom-4 (Merah Putih) satellite saves around 25% of the cost of launching the previous satellite, the Telkom-3S satellite, which was launched on 15 February 2017, which cost US$215 million. Meanwhile, the Merah Putih satellite only costs US$165 million and includes insurance costs of US$10 million.[7]
Due to the inadequacy of the Palapa-D satellite to operate until July 2020, while the replacement satellite, Nusantara Dua (Palapa N1),[8] failed to reach orbit, many TV and radio channels migrated from Palapa-D to Telkom-4.[9] Below is a list of frequency of channels that have migrated as of July 2020:[10]