A Boeing Co. photo shows an oil platform being prepared for
commercial satellite launches expected to begin in June 1998.
A Boeing Co. photo shows an oil platform being prepared for
commercial satellite launches expected to begin in June 1998.
Spurred on by former Gov. John Waihee, the state opened an office of space industry, spending more than $8 million in studies.
The effort eventually failed in the face of opposition by Big Island environmentalists.
In 1995, Gov. Ben Cayetano deleted the office from the budget.
Now a private company, Boeing Co., is planning to launch scores of commercial satellites from a floating platform southeast of Hawaii, starting June of next year.
Looking at a potential $50 billion in satellite manufacturing in the next five years, Boeing formed a company, Sea Launch, to get into the market.
It is based in Long Beach, Calif., because the port is close to the nation's satellite manufacturers, according to Elliot Pulham, a spokesman for Boeing.
The program will be detailed during the Pacific Telecommunications Conference, which opens to the public next Monday at the Waikiki Sheraton hotel.
Ironically, one of the criticisms of the state's satellite launching program was the uncertainty of business from private satellite operators.
Boeing today says Hughes Space and Communications International has placed orders for 13 launches, with an additional five planned by Space Systems/Loral. The launches will be from an ocean-going complex of two ships now being built in Europe.
The rockets will come from components manufactured in Russia and Ukraine.
The ships will head from Long Beach to a spot near the equator, close to Christmas Island.
Pulham, who had worked on a public relations effort on the Big Island to get Ka'u residents to accept the proposal for a Hawaii launch pad, said Boeing did not consider Hawaii as a possible site for its operation.
"One of the beauties of this is it allows us to move the platform around. The rocket will start from a position that will give us the best position on the Earth."
Isles host industry leaders for high-tech conference
By Richard Borreca
Star-BulletinFor four days this month, Hawaii will be the high-tech center of the Pacific/Asia region. The occasion is the 19th Annual Pacific Telecommunications Conference, which this year is attracting 1,500 communication, technology, government and science leaders.
It begins Sunday at the Sheraton Waikiki, with public exhibits open from 10 a.m. Monday to mid-day Wednesday.
"The PTC is the largest telecommunications conference between Asia and us," said Barbara Kim Stanton, executive director and CEO of the state's High Technology Development Corporation.
"Look at the caliber of people - these are the people who can make the decisions immediately, that is why it is important," she said.
Included will be major officials from Internet technology leaders such as Netscape and Oracle, according to Richard Nickelson, external affairs manager for the locally based PTC.
Because Hawaii is connected to both Asia and the mainland by three fiber-optics cable systems, it is well-placed to take advantage of telecommunication advances, according to Stanton.
"Hawaii connects better than any other region," she said.
PTC executive director Richard Barber said the conference should show off some of the ways that technology is merging telephone service, Internet access and television programming and display.
All that, he said, is important because Hawaii can use all three technologies to leapfrog over its isolated geographic position.
Stanton agreed, noting that she is working with GTE/Hawaii and the four counties to show off Hawaii's high-tech benefits.
"With so many people coming, with all the movers and shakers in the industry attending, it is time to showcase Hawaii's assets," she said.
"With the leaders in the industry in discussions about what is happening, the Hawaii side is making sure we don't miss the opportunity to toot our own horn."
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