In a significant stride for Turkey’s space ambitions, the country successfully launched its first domestically-produced communications satellite, Turksat 6A, into orbit early Tuesday. The satellite was carried by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, United States.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan heralded the launch as a “new phase” in the nation’s satellite production capabilities. “As Turkey, we produced more than 81% of the subsystems, satellite ground stations, and software in the 6A project, which is of great importance for our country’s future in space, with national resources,” Erdogan stated.
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu confirmed that the first signal from Turksat 6A was received 67 minutes after launch, as anticipated. He noted that the satellite would extend Turkey’s satellite coverage to five billion people, enhancing the security and quality of the country’s communications and television broadcasts.
“We will have brought our own communications, our television broadcasts to a safer, better level,” Uraloglu said, noting that Turksat 6A would enable Turkey to reach new regions including India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.
The project marks the culmination of a decade-long effort to produce a satellite domestically. With this achievement, Turkey joins an exclusive group of 11 countries capable of manufacturing their own communications satellites. Turkey had previously launched satellites using rockets from SpaceX, but Turksat 6A represents a significant milestone in self-sufficiency and technological advancement.
Melissa Enoch
Source (Reuters)
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