PSNRY, which mothballed the M2A sat at SS/L, is "delaying" another project, ACeS, being built bt LMT. Now, the reason given is technical, but a financial reality cannot be ruled out:
Philippine firms defer satellite launch to 1999
MANILA, April 14 (Reuters) - A Philippine consortium has postponed the launch of its $750 million mobile communications satellite to early 1999 from this September.
Sources at the ACeS Philippine Cellular Corp said on Tuesday the delay was caused by additional tests by Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT - news), which will manufacture the satellite's digital signal processor.
The processor, used to channel calls, was found to be generating too much heat, and modifications must be made so that transmissions will not be affected once the satellite is in orbit, the sources said.
The consortium is made up of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone (TEL.PS) Co (TEL.PS), PT Pasifik Nusantara (PSNRY - news) and Jasmine International Overseas Co Ltd of Thailand (JASM.BK). |
