Palapa-D to be Salvaged After Being Launched into Wrong Orbit

摘要

Indonesia's Palapa-D telecommunications satellite arrived in standard geostationary transfer-orbit position Sept. 3, three days after being left in a useless orbit by an underper-forming Chinese Long March 3B rocket.rnThe satellite is expected to be guided into its final geostationary-orbit position by mid-September, according to the satellite's builder, Thales Alenia Space of France and Italy. One industry official said Palapa-D, designed to operate for 15 years, will have enough fuel for eight to 10 years of service following the orbit-raising maneuvers.