The PEP-Star (Performance Enhancing Proxy for Low Earth Orbit Satellite Communications) project was officially launched through a Kick-Off Meeting held on 29–30 January 2026. The event was conducted at the Ubiquitous Computing and Networking Laboratory, Department of Informatics, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Hasanuddin, and brought together key stakeholders, researchers, and technical partners to align on the project’s vision, scope, and implementation strategy aimed at strengthening disaster-resilient network infrastructure across the ASEAN region.
The kick-off meeting was led by Prof. Muhammad Niswar, who served as the Person In Charge of the event. Under his coordination, the meeting marked an important milestone by introducing the project team, clarifying roles and responsibilities, and reviewing technical requirements and work plans. Participants discussed project milestones, timelines, communication protocols, and resource allocation to ensure effective collaboration and smooth execution throughout the project lifecycle. The PEP-Star project focuses on improving the performance and reliability of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications to support real-time environmental monitoring and early warning dissemination, particularly in disaster-prone and remote areas.
As part of the program, a half-day workshop on Disaster Management and Resilient Networks was conducted, featuring distinguished speakers who shared both strategic and technical perspectives. Prof. Adi Maulana delivered a general overview of disaster management, emphasizing preparedness, coordination, and mitigation strategies. The workshop also featured Dr. Ilham Alimuddin, who presented on disaster management and community resilience in South Sulawesi, highlighting community-based approaches and local lessons learned. In addition, Dr. Chong delivered a technical session on tackling packet loss in satellite networks for disaster-resilient ASEAN infrastructure, addressing key challenges and solutions to improve communication reliability during emergency situations.
The PEP-Star project is a multilateral collaboration involving leading academic institutions in the region and beyond, including Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Hasanuddin University (UNHAS), Brawijaya University (UB), Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK), National University of Laos (NUOL), and the University of Glasgow Singapore. The project is funded by the ASEAN IVO NIT Japan, reflecting strong regional and international support for advancing innovative, disaster-resilient communication technologies. With strong engagement and constructive discussions throughout the event, the kick-off meeting successfully established a shared understanding of the PEP-Star project’s objectives and implementation roadmap. The project will now move forward into its implementation phase, contributing to more reliable, resilient, and disaster-ready communication networks across the ASEAN region.