Space

SpaceX launches Turksat 5A communications satellite

The satellite will complete its journey after four months.

Published

6 years ago

January 8, 2021

Cahid Atik

• California-based company sent a satellite into orbit for Turkey.

• The country will have the 7th satellite in operation.

• Other communications satellites Turksat 5B and Turksat 6A are on the way.

SpaceX blasted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in the United States of Florida at 0215 GMT on January 8, carrying Turkey’s Turksat 5A communications satellite into orbit by a Falcon 9 rocket.

The satellite, which is expected to commence service in the second half of 2021, signaled 35 minutes following the launch. The journey of Turksat 5A will take nearly four months, said the country’s Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoglu.

He added that the satellite, which will operate in Ku-band, will be activated after tests are completed, according to Anadolu Agency.

Built by Airbus and Turkish Aerospace, it is designed to operate for approximately 15 years, providing TV broadcasting and communication service to Turkey, the Middle East, Europe, North Africa and South Africa, and it will be the country’s seventh satellite in orbit.

Currently, Turkey has three communication satellites, which are Turksat 3A, Turksat 4A, Turksat 4B, in addition to Gokturk-1, Gokturk-2, and Rasat that are the observation satellites.

Elon Musk’s company will also launch Turksat 5B satellite, which will operate in Ku- and Ka-bands, into orbit later this year, Space.com reported. Of the 5A operation, he tweeted: “Launch underway.”

Launch underway https://t.co/wbk7ZZ0Fqx
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 8, 2021

Airbus on the SpaceX Turksat 5A operation

“We are very pleased to welcome Turksat as a new Eurostar customer for the most powerful satellites of their fleet,” said Nicolas Chamussy, Head of Space Systems at Airbus. “We were the first to demonstrate full electric propulsion technology for satellites of this size and capacity, and this will enable the Türksat spacecraft to be launched in the most cost-efficient manner.”

Turkey will continue to expand its satellite fleet with the launch of Turksat 6A in 2022, aiming at boosting the country’s Ka-band capacity.