Advanced Television

Turkey wants to be bigger satellite player

August 23, 2016

Turkey says it wants to become one of the top-10 global satellite operators, and wants to have ten satellites in orbit by 2023.

Turkey’s Transportation, Maritime and Communication Minister Ahmet Arslan said Türksat is already one of the world’s top 20 satellite operators and their aim is to become one of the world’s top-10 countries with 10 satellites by 2023. Turkey’s first indigenous satellite Türksat 6A, manufactured in the Turkish Space Systems Integration and Test Center (USET), is due to be completed by 2019 and will be launched into space sooner after, according to Arslan.

Turksat operates from the 42 degrees East position. However, its new 5A and 5B satellites are due to launch in in 2018/2019 to the 31 degrees and 42 degrees East orbital slots.  The overall plan is to develop another slot at 50 degrees East. However, the minister said that the RFPs for the two satellites will be converted into orders later this year

He added that Türksat 6A satellite, which will serve as a model for the nation’s large-scale technology projects, is crucial because of its indigenous manufacturers and resources. Arslan said that manufacturing operations for the 5A and 5B satellites will be conducted in the best way possible and the training of technical personnel is already going well.

Arslan said Türksat 5A will provide television broadcasting and data communication services related to Turkey, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe.

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