(MENAFN) According to recent announcements, Türkiye’s fully domestically engineered orbital transfer vehicle (OTV), the FGN-TUG-S01 developed by Fergani Space, has officially commenced its space activities. Reports noted that the spacecraft rode into orbit on Nov. 28 aboard a Falcon 9 mission launched from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base.

The operation kicked off at 1844GMT, and the spacecraft detached from the rocket roughly an hour and twenty minutes later, completing the deployment phase. This achievement is being viewed as a major advancement for the country’s growing capacity in orbital logistics and maneuvering technologies.

The vehicle, which serves as Türkiye’s inaugural orbital transfer platform, incorporates what reports describe as the first hybrid-propelled rocket engine intended for in-orbit ignition. Its initial engine firing is scheduled to occur once the craft stabilizes at its designated operational orbit. Thanks to its economical and secure hybrid propulsion setup, the OTV is expected to reposition satellites across various orbital paths and extend their operational lifespans.

This successful deployment is also anticipated to support upcoming constellation missions by enabling satellites to be placed at multiple altitude layers. The FGN-TUG-S01 is designed to move Fergani Space satellites from near-Earth altitudes of approximately 500 kilometers (310 miles) to higher orbits exceeding 1,000 kilometers (621 miles), ensuring they reach their intended mission positions.

The spacecraft integrates essential subsystems—such as avionics, onboard computing, thermal regulation components, and power management hardware—all of which were engineered within Türkiye, according to general reports. With this mission, the country is set to become the first to conduct in-orbit tests of a hybrid rocket engine.

In a statement, Selcuk Bayraktar, the CEO of Fergani Space, noted that the company activated its second satellite less than a month earlier and emphasized the importance of having the nation’s first indigenous OTV now functioning in orbit. “Our OTV, a product of domestic engineering, will initiate Türkiye’s mobility in space,” he said.

Bayraktar also highlighted that the mission serves as a foundational step for the development of Türkiye’s national positioning system, known as “Ulugbey.” He stated, “This mission will form the base for our Ulugbey GPS goal and pave the way for our future satellite constellations,” adding, “We aim to provide independent positioning and space logistics capabilities to Türkiye and its allied countries with more than 100 satellites in five years.”

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