Türkiye’s indigenous satelliteTurksat 6A travels nearly 120M miles in space

Türkiye’s first homegrown communications satellite, Turksat 6A, has traveled more than 192 million kilometers (119.3 million miles) in space since its launch on July 9, 2024.

Abdulkadir Uraloglu, Türkiye’s transport and infrastructure minister, told Anadolu that the satellite entered commercial service in April 2025 and continues to operate without interruption, strengthening the country’s presence in space, while work is underway on the Turksat 7A project.

Uraloglu said Turksat 6A marks a major milestone for Türkiye’s space and communications capabilities with its wide coverage area.

“Turksat 6A was brought to life through the joint efforts of hundreds of Turkish engineers, researchers and domestic firms, including the Scientific and Technological Research Institution (Tubitak) Uzay Space Technologies Institute, Aselsan, CTech and Turksat,” he said. “The satellite has completed 437 days, or 10,416 hours, of service in the 42 degrees East orbit.”

“Turksat 6A contributed to the country’s satellite communications capacity, elevating Türkiye’s competitive edge in the global satellite market to a whole new level,” he added.

Uraloglu said Turksat 6A covers both western and eastern regions, with its eastern coverage expanding to include India, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

The expanded coverage has increased the total population reach of Turksat satellites worldwide from 3.5 billion to 5 billion people, he said.

The growing coverage area has also led to a sharp rise in the number of foreign-based television channels carried by Turksat satellites.

“The expansion into South Asia through Turksat 6A propelled satellite operator Turksat’s momentum in the global broadcasting market to a historic high, while the number of channels broadcasting via the operator’s satellites increased 20% in one year alone,” he said. “The number of foreign-based channels broadcast rose 50% over five years, reaching 69.”

Uraloglu noted that Turksat 6A entered service with a domestic production rate of more than 80% and continues to operate under harsh space conditions.

“Türkiye has become one of the 11 countries in the world capable of designing, developing, manufacturing, testing and operating its own communications satellite in orbit, thanks to this project, which has a mission lifespan of at least 15 years,” he added.