Türkiye's Turksat 6A Marks One Year in Orbit

(MENAFN) Türkiye's pioneering communications satellite, Turksat 6A, has successfully completed its first year in orbit, underscoring the country's advancing capabilities in space technology, according to Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu on Tuesday.

Launched on July 9, 2024, Turksat 6A has emerged as "a symbol of Türkiye’s commitment to engineering, science, and technological production," Uraloglu stated in an interview with a news agency.

The satellite, which took nearly a decade to develop, marks a major milestone in the nation’s space ambitions.

Uraloglu emphasized that the Turksat 6A project would open new prospects for Türkiye in a range of fields, including telecommunications, defense, scientific research, and global data infrastructure.

“The Turksat 6A project will offer Türkiye new opportunities in many areas, such as communications, the defense industry, scientific discoveries, and global data infrastructure. During the year that our satellite has been in space, we made significant contributions to human resources development and acquired national satellite experience,” he added.

Additionally, he highlighted that the satellite has contributed to job creation within the space industry, with the Turkish Aerospace Industries’ Space Systems Assembly, Integration, and Test Center playing a crucial role in its development.

Uraloglu further noted that over 80 percent of Turksat 6A’s components were produced domestically.

He revealed that “The Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Institution developed the space satellite management unit, reaction wheel, and electronic propulsion subsystem,” which contributed to the satellite’s success.

MENAFN09072025000045017167ID1109779637