Equatorial Regions to some space engineers, are the blessed part of the earth.  Very close to the geostationary orbit is one thing, but many virtues are there to enabling High Altitude Platform Systems work with less constraint.  Profiles of wind speed reveals that there will be an optimum region between 18-20 km above the equatorial region in which the wind speed is of a maximum of 10 m/s. Such a condition will ease the position control function implementation of the aircraft. Also that there will be abundant of sun energy can be absorbed by the solar panel in the equatorial regiona as compared with those in the subtropical areas. 
It means that there will be less mass required to generate the same amount of energy. 
 However, the same regions are characterized by a very high rainfall intensity. Indeed ITU-R study shows that the regions fall into P, N or Q category, where rainfall rate is above 125 mm/h for .01% of the time.  Such a challenge will affect the radio transmission performance , especially for higher frequency.  Radio engineers are so excited with this kind of challenge, in particular when they have to design a reliable digital transmission over the same kind of channel.  With a sophisticated  combined algorithm one has to be sure that certain performance can be guaranteed. 
 Other blessing out of the equatorial region is the well known energy benefit when one has to launch a geostationary satellite. In the western hemisphere, the European Space Agency has succesfully demonstrated the fact that Kourou , a small city at some 5 degree North latitude in the French Guyana territory , is an ideal place to launch geosynchronous and other type satellite.  The success is a part of the brilliant idea of United Europe.  But if we curiously look at the other side of the globe, we can easily see that there are other places such as Bitung at 0.5 degrees latitude   and Biak at 0.2 degrees latitude, both are in Indonesia, represent two candidates for equatorial spaceport.  Both are having excellent falling object clearance.  ASSI is of the opinion that study for exploring the launching capability for those candidates, is important.

ASSI chairman

Arifin Nugroho

Volume 8
Indonesian Space Port : An Obsession (Part I)

Volume 7
Strengthen of Community and Satellite Communication

Volume 6
Mengenal Standar DVB

Volume 5
High Altitude Platforms Systems (HAPS) : Wahana Terestrial Masa Depan
World Radiocommunication Conference-2000The Main Issues and Region 3 Cooperation in Preparation for the Conference 

Volume 4
Pengenalan Umum Pita Frekuensi Ka dan Industri Satelit Telekomunikasi Pita Lebar Dunia
Peranan Organisasi Internasional Non-Pemerintah dalam Memajukan Kegiatan Keantaraiksaan (Termasuk Bidang Persatelitan)

Volume 3
Geostationary Orbit Optimization in the Future Space Commercialization

Volume 2
Program Pengembangan Satelit Micro Lembaga Penerbangan dan Antariksa Nasional

Volume 1
Multiple Acces in Mobile Satellite Communication