Interview

• Prof. Dr. Erna Sri Adiningsih, Executive Director of Indonesian Space Agency, National Research and Innovation Agency (INASA-BRIN)

National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia (BRIN) was established in 2021 integrating several national science and technology research agencies including National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN ) and Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology Indonesia (BPPT), both of them being longtime members of Sentinel Asia. At a same time Indonesian Space Agency (INASA) was established under this new agency.

Sentinel Asia Secretariat interviewed Prof. Dr. Erna Sri Adiningsih, Executive Director of INASA and an expert researcher in remote sensing at LAPAN, to introduce the background of this integration of research agencies in Indonesia and their future plan for the relation with Sentinel Asia and other space application and disaster management.

Sentinel Asia Secretariat
BRIN integrated National Nuclear Energy Agency of Indonesia (BATAN), Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology Indonesia (BPPT), National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN ), Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI ), and other institutions in 2021. Could you tell us the story about the establishment of BRIN? What is the purpose of this establishment?

Prof. Dr. Erna Sri Adiningsih
Previously national space activities were conducted by LAPAN as the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (also known as the Indonesian space agency) as demanded by National Law 21 in the year 2013. This law covers not only the legal bases of space activities but also promotes the national planning and implementation the space and remote sensing activities (amendment 2). For example, it advises the provision of satellite observations to government institutions. Now, we are preparing two government regulations in collaboration with the Ministry of Law and human rights to proceed with the enactment of spaceport development and commercial space activities. With such kinds of mandates, the national space programs should be systematically developped, enhanced, and accelerated. Those mandates include not only the programs but also human resources and funding as well.
In 2019, the government of Indonesia enacted national law number 11, concerning national systems of science and technology, intending to enhance the quality of education, research, development, assessment, and application of science and technology through integrated research and innovation programs including space science and technology as well. One example of these integrations is the integration of the BATAN, BPPT, LAPAN, LIPI, and the Ministry of Research and Technology as one big organization of the National Research and Innovation Agency, BRIN. With such integration, the efforts in science and technology are integrated. For example, in space technology, different sciences such as electronics, mechanics, AI, and several other sciences need to work together, and by integrating the efforts we can efficiently spend our resources. It is also worth mentioning that BRIN activities are not only mandated by law 11/2019, but it is also mandated by two other laws such as nuclear and space laws, and this brings a very special position (ministry level) for BRIN in comparison to other organizations and the previous position of LAPAN. Before each ministry used to have a separate unit/institute specifically worked on research and development, however with the new structure, those units have been moved to BRIN. It is also interesting to mention that this integration in space technology has brought a large number of resources (human resources, facilities, laboratories, funding, etc.) to BRIN which ensures faster enhancement of the national space program in Indonesia.

Sentinel Asia Secretariat
LAPAN developed an earth observation satellite and studied the application of space technologies. What is BRIN's role within the Indonesian government for space development including disaster management using space technologies?

Prof. Dr. Erna Sri Adiningsih
Although there are changes in the structure of LAPAN, there is no change in the mandates and activities, as they are national mandates. And now those activities are being continued under BRIN's different units and divisions. Although, at the beginning of the restructuring, task allocations to different units and divisions and coordination among them were a bit challenging, Now after almost 2 years, the new structure has got more clarity.

Sentinel Asia Secretariat
What is BRIN's position related to Sentinel Asia?

Prof. Dr. Erna Sri Adiningsih
Initially when BRIN started its new structure, the was no unit assigned to the multilateral international collaborations but soon after, to properly handle international collaboration activities with other space agencies, the Secretariat of the Indonesian Space Agency (INASA) was established under BRIN. Under this structure, INASA is the focal point for the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF), administrative matters for Sentinel Asia, and the International Disasters Charter activation. In general, all the administration and coordination related to international collaborations, especially in disaster management falls under the activities of the INASA.

Sentinel Asia Secretariat
Former LAPAN launched several small earth observation satellites. Do you have any plans for the development of Earth observation satellites?

Prof. Dr. Erna Sri Adiningsih
The succession of LAPAN A1 in 2007, brought us valuable experiences in satellite developments and operations. Since then LAPAN has continued with LAPAN A2 and A3 which have been launched to the orbits. The development of the next satellite, A4 in the series of LAPAN satellites has been finished and it will be launched soon, probably under a different name. Apart from the development of small experimental satellite programs, we also have another program for satellite constellation development under BRIN, which includes eight earth observation satellites in LEO, both in polar and near-equatorial orbits, and ten communication satellites and one in GEO with both optical and SAR sensors. For future developments, BRIN also considers the development of near-equatorial earth observation and equatorial communication satellites.
BRIN continues its activities related to data acquisition for earth observation satellites in polar orbits for international data providers, however, based on the accumulated experiences, we came to realize that not all needs and requirements are being satisfied through those observations, mainly due to the geographical location of Indonesia and consistent cloud coverage presence, therefore there is a great demand for high-frequency observations covering Indonesia for future developments.

Sentinel Asia Secretariat
BRIN will co-organize Sentinel Asia's Joint Project Team Meeting (JPTM) 2023 and APRSAF-29 this year. Do you have any topics or agenda items important to BRIN at the JPTM?

Prof. Dr. Erna Sri Adiningsih
As it was discussed earlier, BRIN has a plan to continue small experimental satellite programs as well as the development of the satellite constellation, particularly with the mission of earth observations. This brings the opportunity for Indonesia through BRIN to contribute to Sentinel Asia by hosting JPTM. As the Sentinel Asia initiative is part of APRSAF-29, we hope that by hosting JPTM and APRSAF-29 back-to-back, we can host a large number of stakeholders from different disciplines and provide opportunities for better engagement and networking.

Sentinel Asia Secretariat
In addition to co-organizing JPTM 2023, how do you evolve your contribution to Sentinel Asia?

Prof. Dr. Erna Sri Adiningsih
Apart from hosting JPTM, under Sentinel Asia, we contribute not only to data provision for disaster management but also, contribute to regular activities such as sharing expertise, capacity building, and joint projects.
During UNESCAP ministerial conference for space application and social development, the government of Indonesia proposed an initiative to straighten the implementation of the plan of action for space application and social development especially to address disaster risk management tools. The details of the initiative was discussed during the UNESCAP's session of the Intergovernmental Consultative Committee (ICC-27) on the Regional Space Applications Programme for Sustainable Development (RESAP) in July this year in Bangkok. I think the mentioned initiative and Sentinel Asia can work together as complementary components to extend their activities to not only Sentinel Asia member countries but also other countries in ASEAN and Pacific regions.

Sentinel Asia Secretariat
What do you expect from Sentinel Asia and how will you contribute to Sentinel Asia?

Prof. Dr. Erna Sri Adiningsih
We will continue to support Sentinel Asia with our satellite programs and will continue to share our expertise and capacities through capacity-building programs and joint projects for example this year the research center of remote sensing is involved in several joint international activities regarding disaster management. We are also able to invite international experts and scholars from Sentinel Asia communities to come to the Indonesia natural disaster laboratory for proposing robust methodologies and data processing in the field of tsunami, earthquake, flooding, and landslide studies, and in that regard, we might be able to provide them with accommodations and daily allowance. Thanks to the structure of BRIN for joint projects under Sentinel Asia we can not only invite scientists from the center of remote sensing but also from disaster center and geospatial center.

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