Biak was selected for its proximity to the equator and its direct access to the Pacific Ocean, allowing first-stage rocket boosters to safely fall into open waters after launch.
PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara chief executive officer Adi Rahman Adiwoso (left) speaks on May 12, 2026, with Communications and Digital Minister Meutya Hafid (right) during the launch ceremony for the Nusantara 5 (N5) satellite operations in Jakarta.
(Courtesy of/PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara)
Indonesia is stepping up plans to build a spaceport on Biak, Papua, with interest emerging from Russia, India and Turkey as Southeast Asia’s largest economy seeks to position itself as an equatorial satellite launch hub.Biak was selected for its proximity to the equator and its direct access to the Pacific Ocean, allowing first-stage rocket boosters to safely fall into open waters after launch.
According to satellite operator PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (PSN), Biak’s location, roughly one degree south of the equator, could improve launch efficiency by 15 percent to 20 percent compared with major launch centers such as Cape Canaveral in the United States.
