CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida. Feb 1: An unmanned Atlas rocket hurled an Indonesian communications satellite into orbit Wednesday night, reports AP.

The 2-ton satellite, called Palapa, meaning "unity," will eventually be positioned 22,300 miles (36,000 kilometers) above Jakarta. It will beam television broadcasts, telephone calls and business data throughout the Pacific Rim beginning the March and will replace an aging spacecraft.

"We're still behind our neighbour countries. That's why we have to catch up," said Arifin Siregar. Indonesian ambassador to the United States.

International customers will include CNN. HBO and the Discovery cable TV channels.

The 190 million dollars mission Includes satellite and launch costs as well as flight insurance. The Lockheed Martin rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Sta tion with the satellite, made by Hughes Space and Communications Co., at 8:15 pm.

Liftoff was 25 minutes late ■ because of a computer glitch.