Turkey launched its first domestically-produced communications satellite, Turksat 6A, into orbit early on Tuesday. This move aims to expand the country’s satellite coverage and enhance its television broadcasting capabilities.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carried Turksat 6A into space from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, USA. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan hailed the launch as a “new phase” for Turkey in satellite production.
“Turkey produced over 81% of the subsystems, satellite ground stations, and software in the 6A project using 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 planned. He added that the satellite would extend Turkey’s coverage to 5 billion people, improving the security and quality of communications and television broadcasts.
Uraloglu highlighted that Turksat 6A would allow Turkey to reach regions such as India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. He also noted that this achievement marks Turkey’s entry into the group of 11 countries capable of domestically producing a satellite.
Turkey has previously launched satellites with SpaceX rockets, but Turksat 6A represents the culmination of a decade-long effort to develop a satellite domestically.
