Erdogan hails Turksat 6A launch as milestone in domestic space tech
3 Min Read
The deployment of Turksat 6A will boost Turkey's satellite coverage from 3.5 billion to 5 billion people.
-
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech on April 21, 2025 (@tcbestepe)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday presided over the official commissioning of Türksat 6A, the country's first domestically manufactured communications satellite, describing it as a historic milestone in Turkey's pursuit of technological self-sufficiency and space sector leadership.
During the nationally televised ceremony, Erdogan underscored the strategic importance of the launch, positioning Turkey among an exclusive group of nations capable of independently producing communication satellites.
"Thanks to the Turksat 6A satellite, which is more than 80% homegrown, Turkey has become one of the 11 countries that can produce their own communications satellites," he declared.
The satellite's development involved over 20 years of collaborative work by leading Turkish institutions, including Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), ASELSAN, TÜBİTAK Uzay, and CTech. "The satellite is the result of 20 years of painstaking, intensive, and hard work towards producing Turkey's own national technologies," Erdogan added.
Türkiye Artık Uzayda Süper Ligde 🇹🇷📌
— Türksat A.Ş. (@turksat) April 20, 2025
🌍 Türksat 6A ile Türkiye, haberleşme uydusu üreten ilk 11 ülke arasındaki yerini aldı.
Dünyanın uzay haritasında adımız artık daha parlak☀️🌌#UzaydaTürkİzi#TürksatHerYerde#Türksat6A#TuerkiyeHızlanıyor pic.twitter.com/TOrCQYlxLK
Originally launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral on July 8, 2024, Türksat 6A reached its geostationary orbit at 42° East by late December. After successfully completing in-orbit testing—most notably a broadcast test on February 17, 2025—the satellite was declared operational and officially brought online.
Its deployment will boost Turkey's satellite coverage from 3.5 billion to 5 billion people, extending its communications infrastructure to previously unserved regions across Asia, including India, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
"Thanks to this revolutionary project, we have a domestic and national satellite communications platform. The audience covered by our satellites around the world will now rise from 3.5 billion to five billion people," Erdogan said.
Türksat 6A is equipped with 16 Ku-band transponders and additional X-band capability reserved for military applications. It is designed for a minimum operational life of 15 years, enhancing both civil and defense communications while reducing reliance on foreign satellite systems.
Read more: Turkiye starts construction of rocket launch facility in Somalia
Beyond its technical significance, the project is viewed as a springboard for Turkey's broader ambitions in the space industry. Erdogan signaled plans to establish a national satellite brand and a dedicated space company, reinforcing Ankara's long-term strategy to elevate its role in the global space economy and secure strategic independence in high-tech sectors.
