RM142mil satellite is 37km off target

PETALING JAYA: The RM142mil RazakSAT remote sensing satellite, which failed to operate fully a year after its 2009 launch, was found to be off-target when capturing images.
The Auditor-General's Report said the images, which were supposed to be observed from Sungai Buloh and Subang, had deviated 37km from its original target
It was supposed to produce pictures of the Raja Muda Musa Batang Berjuntai forest reserve in Kuala Selangor.

Remote sensing purpose: Workers loading the RazakSAT into the Royal Malaysian Air Force C-130 aircraft for its launch in this file picture

The report said Malaysia Remote Sensing Agency (ARSM) had claimed that corrections were made by Astronautic Technology (M) Sdn Bhd (ATSB), RazakSAT's developer.
“However, checks on Dec 31 showed that the problem was not solved.”
The report added that ATSB and the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry had agreed to stop the project last December.
The Treasury said ATSB would monitor its corporate strategic plans from time to time.
Last year, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili had said that the allocation under the 10th Malaysia Plan would allow the country to continue with the next phase of the programme called RazakSAT2.