Talk Show "Following the Stars: Indonesia’s Future in Space Exploration"
By Syabina Er Said - Mahasiswa Teknik Dirgantara, 2020
Editor Anggun Nindita
BANDUNG, itb.ac.id — The Aerospace Student Association "KMPN Otto Lilienthal" of the Bandung Institute of Technology (KMPN ITB) successfully held the second day of the Aerospace Innovation Summit (AIS) 2025 – Cakrawala: When Earth Meets Sky on Sunday (April 13, 2025) at the Aula Barat, ITB Ganesha Campus.
One of the most captivating events was an inspiring talk show titled “Following the Stars: Indonesia’s Future in Space Exploration,” which explored how Indonesia can leverage its capabilities and resources to advance space technology development.
Moderated by Dr. Yazdi Ibrahim Jenie, S.T., M.T., a lecturer from the Flight Mechanics and Operations Expertise Group, the talk show featured two distinguished speakers: Dr.-Ing. Ir. Wahyudi Hashi, S.Si., M.Kom., IPU, ASEAN Eng., Head of the Satellite Technology Research Center at BRIN, as the first speaker, and Dr. Ir. Meiditomo Sutyarjoko, MSEE., Lead Consultant of the BRISat Project, as the second speaker. The session highlighted Indonesia’s vision for satellite technology and space exploration, including recent achievements such as the LAPAN-A3 satellite mission, which successfully measured Earth’s magnetic field with high accuracy.
The discussion primarily centered on the Indonesia Space Act (Law No. 21 of 2013) as the foundation for advancing the national space program until 2045. Key strategic objectives examined included enhancing Assembly, Integration, and Testing (AIT) facilities for satellites, launching operational-ready Earth observation and communication satellites, and developing Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites to be placed in equatorial orbit.
Dr. Wahyudi Hashi also emphasized the importance of strengthening human resource capacity and research infrastructure through BRIN’s role as both a funding agency and executing agency in the national innovation ecosystem.
The event further showcased Indonesia’s competencies in satellite technology, covering spacecraft systems, launch systems, and mission operations. Attendees were presented with recent research findings, including Earth’s magnetic field measurement data from the LAPAN-A3 satellite, published in an international journal.
Through this event, KMPN ITB hopes to ignite a spirit of innovation among students and young researchers, inspiring the next generation to actively engage in mastering space technology as a step toward realizing Indonesia’s self-reliance in aerospace.
Reporter: Syabina Er Said (Teknik Dirgantara, 2020)
Translator: Dina Avanza Mardiana (Microbiology, 2022)
