At the signing ceremony of the Ka-Band National Communication Hub System and Modern Development Project signed between Türksat and Aselsan, Minister Karaismailoğlu stated that hub systems will be made as domestic products. Karaismailoğlu said, “With the signatures signed today, we are taking a historic step in terms of nationalization and domestication in the field of national communication with value added satellite services. We are going to produce the hub system and modems using domestic and national means.”
At the ceremony attended by Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoğlu and Defense Industries President Prof. Dr. İsmail Demir, they signed the “Ka-Band National Communication Hub System and Modern Development Project” contract between Türksat and Aselsan.
Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoğlu, who spoke at the ceremony noted that Turkey will gain from the cooperation of Aselsan and Türksat, two of Turkey’s distinguished establishments, and stated that the hub systems will be supplied as a domestic products along with the technologies produced in the global market. Minister Karaismailoğlu continued as follows:
We are witnessing the signing of the Ka-Band National Communication Hub System and Modern Development Project between Türksat and Aselsan. We are going to produce hub systems and modems with domestic and national means. Within the scope of this project, 150 special modems will be produced, and 2 hub systems will be installed. With the system set to be created, products will be sold to corporate customers, homes users, military and special tactical applications.
“Complete control and operation of Türksat 5A will start in June”
Minister Karaismailoğlu noted that with the inclusion of the year 2021, the agenda in terms of satellite technologies and space activities has reached dizzying speeds. He added that after the orbital tests have been completed for the Türksat 5A communication satellite, operational controls will be handed over in June and operations will start. Underlying the fact that Turkey, today has reached a level where it can develop and test its own satellites, Karaismailoğlu said the following:
With the launch of “Turkey’s National Space Program” by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on 9 February 2021, our satellite and space research has gained speed. The production process of the Türksat 5B satellite is coming along according to schedule. We plan to launch this satellite into space in the second half of 2021. Türksat 6A, our first communication satellite produced with domestic and national means, will take its place in space in 2022. Within the scope of the National Space Program, we are improving our competitiveness power in the world in the field of new generation satellites. We believe that countries that have a footprint in space will increase their power in the world.
Presidency of Defense Industry President İsmail Demir also noted that the agreement in question is pleasing. Demir pointed out that Turkey’s push for the nationalization of space and satellite related topics in ongoing. He added, “Such technologies will have significant application not only in the military but also in the civilian field. It will constitute important steps towards providing for Turkey’s space capacity with domestic means. We anticipate that this will ongoing occurrence.”
Following the speeches, under the auspice of Minister Karaismailoğlu, Türksat CEO Hasan Hüseyin Ertok and Aselsan Chairman and CEO Haluk Görgün signed the “Ka-Band National Communication Hub System and Modern Development Project.”