Aselsan boosts Türkiye’s space capabilities with Turksat 6A satellite

Aselsan, one of Türkiye’s leading defense industry companies, has transferred its accumulated knowledge in space to Türkiye’s first indigenous communications satellite, Turksat 6A, thereby nationalizing the satellite’s communication payloads.

Aselsan continues its efforts to meet Türkiye’s space needs with national solutions.

The company conducts activities in satellite and space technologies in geostationary orbit (GEO), low Earth orbit communications (LEO), satellite-based navigation, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance from space.

In the GEO communication domain, Aselsan, in collaboration with Turksat 5B, developed Türkiye’s first national equipment, Ku-band Receiver and Ka-band LNA, and has been operational in space since 2022, earning the title of the first organization to develop “national satellite communication payload equipment.”

Aselsan’s Satellite-based correction system improves the accuracy, reliability, suitability and integrity of source signals and associated data from GPS and subsequently other GNSS systems, enhancing performance for users in covered geographic areas.

Knowledge transferred to Turksat 6A

Building on the expertise gained from Turksat 5B, Aselsan, involved in Turksat 6A, has elevated Ku-band and X-band communication payload solutions.

Within the project, space-qualified design, production, integration and testing processes have been integrated into Aselsan. Additionally, over 100 personnel involved in the project have gained experience to participate in Türkiye’s other space projects.

Developing communication payloads for Turksat 6A to facilitate all forms of terrestrial communication, Aselsan undertook technology investments for future low Earth orbit communication needs of Türkiye with internal resources.

Leveraging experience and gains from these satellites, Aselsan aims to provide all mission payloads and communication subsystems in future Turkish team satellites in a calendar and cost-effective manner.

24 types of equipment nationalized

Subsystems, satellite ground station software, flight computers, power distribution units, developed domestically with over 80% local content, were integrated at TAI’s Space Systems Integration and Test Center in Ankara, Türkiye. The system underwent system-level testing.

During this process, 24 types of equipment were nationalized, with 84 local equipment used in the flight model. Nearly 400 environmental and functional tests were completed throughout the project.

Turksat 6A, involving joint efforts of personnel from TUBITAK, TAI, Aselsan, and CTech teams periodically numbering close to 400, has been recorded as a project that enhances Türkiye’s trained personnel in space.

The knowledge gained from this institution and companies is aimed to increasingly be used in satellite development activities in the future.

With Turksat 6A, Türkiye has advanced its claims in space and aims to create a national satellite brand in the future.

Türkiye, becoming one of 11 countries capable of developing its indigenous satellite with Turksat 6A, is scheduled to be launched into space from the launch center via the Falcon 9 rocket at 5:20 p.m. local U.S. time on July 8, translating to the night of July 8 to July 9 in Türkiye at 12:20 a.m.