Jokowi Calls on LAPAN to Prioritize Research on Several Sectors
3 September 2015 19:04 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has asked the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (LAPAN) to develop satellites for agriculture, maritime and weather monitoring purposes.
Jokowi promised that he would allocate more budgets for research and developments at the agency.
"We need to conduct concrete researches in food, energy and maritime to realize our vision," Jokowi saidat LAPAN office in Bogor on Thursday, September 3, 2015.
Earlier on Thursday, September 3, 2015, Jokowi inaugurated Indonesia's first equatorial satellite, LAPAN A2, which will be used to observe the earth's surface, identify ships and support radio communication. LAPAN director Thomas Djamaludin said that the agency had been developing the satellite since 2003 to protect Indonesia's outer islands. Currently LAPAN and IPB are working together to develop LAPAN A3 to monitor agricultural areas and to detect ships.
LAPAN is also developing main programs to support climate observation and remote sensing. Among the programs are unmanned aerial vehicles and civilian rocket developments.
ALI HIDAYAT
