Speaking at a panel discussion titled "Space: Urgency and Relevance for Indonesia" here Thursday, Christie said the space sector is far from a niche industry and offers wide-ranging career opportunities.
"People often think space means becoming an astronaut -- just one job opening every 10 years. That's not true. Space is a large and growing industry," she said.
Indonesia, she noted, holds strategic advantages in space development due to its equatorial location, which is ideal for satellite operations.
"Therefore, we have high economic value and job opportunities related to space. The public has not realized this, making them reluctant to pursue fields related to space," she continued.
Furthermore, the minister emphasized that science in the space sector also plays a strategic role in national defense.
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According to her, President Prabowo Subianto has repeatedly emphasized the importance of Indonesian satellites and space, especially in maintaining Indonesia's sovereignty and resilience.
"Space satellites are an important part because all of our country's data, agricultural data, maritime data, can be properly managed if we have a space system, a good satellite system," she said.
Therefore, she encouraged the younger generation to pursue space-related studies to advance the country's potential.
Earlier, the government had also announced funding priority from the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP) for scholarships in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields starting next year.
The Head of LPDP's Legal and Communications Division, Mohamad Lukmanul Hakim, said that LPDP must prioritize certain areas to fulfill the needs of sectors requiring urgent acceleration.
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Translator: Sean Filo M, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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