On Saturday, June 1, 2024, Boeing Indonesia hosted a live broadcast of the Atlas V rocket and Starliner spacecraft launch from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The event was streamed via atAmerica in Jakarta, in collaboration with USAID HEPI and the Young Aerospace Forum, celebrating 75 years of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and the United States. 

The Faculty of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (FTMD) ITB, as a partner of USAID HEPI, was invited to witness this historic launch. Fifty FTMD ITB students, coordinated by USAID HEPI and atAmerica, were directly invited by the Country Director of USAID HEPI, Abdul Rahman, and the Director of Boeing Indonesia, Zaid Alami. This partnership between FTMD ITB and USAID HEPI is a testament to the commitment of both institutions to the quality development of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education in Indonesia and the opportunities it provides for students to engage with industry leaders and witness groundbreaking events like this. 

The Boeing Starliner CST-100 capsule (Crew Space Transportation), part of Boeing’s project with NASA, is known as the Crew Flight Test (CFT) or Commercial Crew Program. This launch was the first manned mission using the ULA Atlas V rocket to send astronauts to Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). It was the third flight since the first launch in December 2019, with astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams scheduled to orbit the Earth and head to the International Space Station (ISS). 

However, that night’s launch had to be postponed due to issues detected in the final moments before liftoff. At T minus 3 minutes 50 seconds, the mission control center at Cape Canaveral detected a discrepancy in the launch sequence configuration data. 

Despite the launch delay, the students’ enthusiasm remained palpable, fueling the event with their unwavering energy. Tony Castilleja, Senior Manager of Boeing Space and Launch, who joined directly from Florida for an online Q&A session, further amplified the excitement. The students and other audience members actively participated in discussions, gaining deeper insights into aerospace and fostering further opportunities to learn about the industry. 

In his speech, Zaid Alami also ignited the audience’s passion for aerospace by highlighting the vast potential of the aerospace sector in Indonesia. With over 600 airports, airstrips, and approximately 800 registered aircraft at the Ministry of Transportation, Indonesia holds significant opportunities in this industry. The expansive geography of Indonesia, stretching from Sumatra to Papua, illustrates this potential. If Indonesia’s map were laid over Europe, it would span from England to Afghanistan, underscoring the immense potential that needs attention, especially as Indonesia is projected to become the fourth-largest aviation market in the world. 

This event not only provided a platform for gaining experience and broadening knowledge but also served as an opportunity to build extensive networks with alumni, such as Ahmad Arafat Aminullah, Chairman of the Young Aerospace Forum and a practitioner in the aviation industry as well as an alumnus of FTMD ITB, along with other aviation students from PN-Indo who attended the event. Through this event, it is hoped that the relationships formed will strengthen the professional network of students in the aerospace field and enhance future collaborations.