Jakarta, January 29, 2026 – The Nusantara Lima Satellite (SNL/Satelit N5) was officially declared to have arrived in geostationary orbit at 113° East Longitude, directly above the island of Kalimantan, at an altitude of approximately 35,786 kilometers above the Earth’s surface on Thursday, January 29, 2026. This success marks the completion of the Electric Orbit Raising (EOR) phase, the satellite’s journey to its destination orbit using an electric propulsion system that gradually changes its elliptical orbit to a circular one. The satellite was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA, using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on September 12, 2025.
President Director of PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (PSN), Adi Rahman Adiwoso, stated that the arrival of the N5 Satellite in orbit is a strategic achievement and an important milestone in strengthening national satellite infrastructure and realizing Indonesia’s space sovereignty. This satellite will play a role in equitable internet access in Indonesia. It is hoped that this affordable internet access will boost the economy, improve public services, health, the environment, and even defense and security.
“We are grateful that SNL has successfully reached orbit at 113° East Longitude as planned. The successful EOR process confirms the readiness of this satellite technology to enter the next phase. SNL is part of the National Satellite Network (PSN)’s commitment to providing high-capacity and reliable connectivity for Indonesia,” said Adi, Thursday (January 29).
SNL is a Very High Throughput Satellite (VHTS) satellite with a total capacity of over 160 Gbps, using the Boeing 702MP platform, and boasting 101 Ka-band spot beams covering all of Indonesia. SNL is the most advanced VHTS in the world. This satellite will be more powerful than any other satellite in the Asian region, and its N5 satellite terminal (VSAT) will be highly sophisticated and advanced. With its greater bandwidth capacity, PSN will also be able to provide broadband services to ASEAN countries, including Malaysia and the Philippines. This satellite is designed to have an operational lifespan of over 15 years and utilizes digital payload technology for more flexible and efficient data traffic management. With the N5 Satellite operational, Indonesia will have a capacity of more than 400 Gbps, the largest in the Asia Pacific.
Satrio Adiwicaksono, SNL Project Director and PSN Technology Director, explained that after arriving in orbit, the satellite will immediately enter the testing phase. “This phase is to verify the satellite’s health and performance after launch and to ensure integration with the ground station/segment network. This process will last approximately 90 days, before continuing with the spacecraft handover phase, which is the handover of satellite operations from Boeing to SNL,” Satrio explained.
Adi added that to support the N5 Satellite’s operations, PSN has prepared seven ground stations spread across various regions in Indonesia: Aceh, Bengkulu, Banjarmasin, Cikarang, Gresik, Kupang, and Tarakan. All of this ground station infrastructure will play a crucial role in ensuring the optimal and sustainable operation of satellite services. “SNL is targeted to be fully operational by April 2026 and is expected to strengthen the national connectivity ecosystem, particularly in supporting the need for large-capacity data communications and accelerating digital transformation in the Southeast Asian region,” Adi concluded.
Supporting Digital Economic Growth
Former Minister of Trade from 2011 to 2014, Gita Wirjawan, who visited the National Satellite Network (PSN) Earth Station in Cikarang, West Java, on Thursday (January 29th), stated that the N5 Satellite will contribute significantly to the growth of Indonesia’s digital economy. By creating equitable internet access throughout the archipelago, it will open up opportunities for businesses to strengthen their performance by marketing their products to a wider market.
According to the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Indonesia’s Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) is projected to reach around USD 360 billion by 2030. With this projection, Indonesia will become the largest digital market in Southeast Asia. “Congratulations to PSN on the arrival of the N5 Satellite in orbit, which is just one step away from serving the Indonesian people. The presence of the N5 Satellite as digital infrastructure to expand connectivity must be maximized by business actors in managing their businesses for sustainable growth and a positive impact on society and the country,” Gita concluded.