Turkey successfully launched its inaugural domestically-produced communications satellite, Turksat 6A, into orbit on Tuesday morning, a development that Ankara believes will expand the nation's satellite reach and fulfill its television broadcasting requirements.
The satellite was transported into space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, United States. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan highlighted that this launch signifies a 'new phase' in Turkey's satellite manufacturing sector.
'As Turkey, we have contributed over 81 percent to the subsystems, satellite ground stations, and software in the 6A project, which is crucial for our country's space future, using national resources,' he stated. Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu confirmed that the first signal from Turksat 6A was received 67 minutes post-launch, as scheduled, noting that the satellite will extend Turkey's coverage to encompass five billion people.
'We are elevating our communications and television broadcasts to a more secure and superior level,' he added, mentioning that Turksat 6A will now enable Turkey to connect with India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Turkey has previously utilized SpaceX rockets for satellite launches. Uraloglu emphasized that Turksat 6A is the culmination of a decade-long endeavor to produce a satellite domestically, positioning Turkey among the eleven countries that have achieved this feat.
