Indonesia plans to begin construction of its National Spaceport in Biak, Papua, in 2026 following finalization of government regulations on spaceport operations, according to National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Head Arif Satria.
Biak Island was strategically selected due to its proximity to the equator which provides natural rotational advantages for rockets launching toward low-earth orbit, reducing fuel consumption, while its eastern orientation facing the vast Pacific Ocean minimizes risks of debris falling on populated areas.
BRIN has proposed designating the spaceport as a National Strategic Project under the 2025–2029 and 2026–2045 development plans, projecting multiplier economic effects that could contribute up to 5 percent of global space economy GDP while creating employment opportunities and strengthening Indonesia's competitiveness in the rocket launch industry.
Indonesia is collaborating with Russia's Roscosmos State Space Corporation through a partnership involving BRIN, Glavkosmos, and PT Uniresources Petroleum Indonesia following a 2023 memorandum of understanding, with the spaceport designed for commercial operations available to various private and public entities.
The project fulfills Indonesia's 2013 Space Law mandate requiring the state to construct and operate a domestic spaceport, addressing decades of delays since preliminary studies began in 1985 when LAPAN first identified the 100-hectare Saukobye village site in Biak Numfor.
