"Now, we are creating a system for carrying the equipment and choosing the road that will lead to the landing site," Head of LAPAN Bambang S Tejasukmana said.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN) is preparing a rocket launch for September 2013 on Morotai Island (North Maluku), Head of LAPAN Bambang S Tejasukmana said here on Thursday.
"Now, we are creating a system for carrying the equipment and choosing the road that will lead to the landing site," Bambang stated.
He noted that the launch of the rocket was intended to measure the height of the atmosphere.
Morotai was selected as the rocket launch site because it already has a runway that is 2,400 meters long. Therefore, LAPAN only needs to increase the length of the runway to 3,000 meters, Bambang explained.
In addition, Morotai lies close to the equator, so the release will be cost-effective. This is not true of several other locations such as Biak because of the constraints of social problems.
"The other option was Enggano (some 100 kilometers southwest of Sumatra), but the runway is small and only good for the south. It is not so good for the eastern region," Bambang said.
There are several potential locations in North Maluku for the rocket launch: Tanjung Gurango; Tabailenge Island; the villages of Gorua, Bido, Mira, Sangowo, and Daeo; and Tanjung Sangowo. Of these, the site with the most potential is Tanjung Sangowo. (*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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