Turkiye Successfully Launches First Indigenous Communications Satellite, Turksat 6A
Florida, The Gulf Observer: Turksat 6A, Türkiye’s first indigenous communications satellite, has been successfully launched into orbit from SpaceX’s Kennedy facility in Florida. The launch, initially delayed due to weather conditions, took place on Monday at 7:30 PM (2330 GMT) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The satellite, weighing 4.25 tonnes, was carried by the Falcon 9 rocket and is expected to deploy approximately 35 minutes after launch, according to SpaceX. Turksat 6A will operate at the 42 degrees East orbital position with an expected service life of 15 years in orbit. The satellite will cover Türkiye, Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, providing TV, radio, and emergency communications services to 4.5 billion people.
Turksat 6A marks Türkiye’s first geostationary communications satellite, developed by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye’s Space Technologies Research Institute and Turkish Aerospace Industries. The successful launch positions Türkiye among the 11 countries capable of producing satellites through their own means.
“This achievement underscores Türkiye’s capabilities in satellite production,” said the Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister ahead of the launch.
SpaceX highlighted the significance of the mission, noting that “this is the 15th flight of the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched CRS-26, OneWeb Launch 16, Intelsat IS-40e, O3b mPOWER, Ovzon 3, Eutelsat 36D, and eight Starlink missions.” Following stage separation, the first stage landed on the “Just Read the Instructions” droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
The successful deployment of Turksat 6A represents a significant milestone for Türkiye’s space ambitions and technological advancements in satellite communications.
