TR Space Space Programs

[the]

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Turkey Begins Building Rocket-Launching Facility in Somalia​

(Bloomberg) -- Turkey is building a facility to launch rockets from Somalia, the Horn of Africa nation’s president said, boosting Ankara’s long-range rocket testing program.

The project will help generate jobs and revenue for the nation, Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said at an event in Mogadishu. Somalia’s location on the eastern tip of mainland Africa is ideal for firing toward the Indian Ocean without the risk of debris falling into residential areas and other countries, Bloomberg reported in September.

The Somalia facility will advance Turkey’s aspiration to join a space race traditionally dominated by global powers. The nation has had plans to launch a rocket for some years. Mohamud didn’t disclose the location of the project. Turkey is one of the few foreign powers strengthening ties with Somalia as the African nation tries to rebuild after years of clan warfare.

“I personally believe that the importance of Somalia hosting a launchpad for Turkish satellites is even more significant than the billions of dollars and opportunities that the project will generate,” Mohamud said.

Over the past decade, Turkey has expanded its influence through defense cooperation and infrastructure projects, and has plans for hydrocarbon exploration. It’s involved in mediation between the government in Mogadishu, the capital, and leaders in Somaliland, a semi-autonomous region.

Yıldırım: Turkey aims to establish a sustainable and commercially competitive spaceport "somewhere near the equator" "with international collabration" "operated by a multinational management". (Around 4:00 onwards)

The only real option would be Somalia or a floating spaceport near the territorial waters of Somalia.

Though based on recent annoucements of cooperation Argentina, El Salvador and Indonesia are also possibilities. (However, their proximity to the equator is arguable)

As predicted almost 2 years ago

 

[Sanchez]

Good news! They've been less than open about details so far. Hoping it's the start of something great.

Full payload list for Transporter-12 mission, it's pretty extensive. Plan-S is also sending 4 cube sats as part of their swarm:

SpaceX F9 : Transporter-12 Rideshare : VSFB SLC-4E : 14 January 2025 (19:09 UTC)

SpaceX F9 : Transporter-12 Rideshare : VSFB SLC-4E : 14 January 2025 (19:09 UTC)

forum.nasaspaceflight.com

This is already the 7th SpaceX launch of the year, averaging one every 2 days.

 

[hugh]

One of these are from Fergani

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1879218268101300362

 

[hugh]

Live Broadcast

x.com

x.com

 

[Sanchez]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1879340733657985113

 

[Altay_TR]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1879340733657985113

It should also be noted that Fergani has recruited Doç. Dr. Arif Karabeyoğlu , who left DeltaV. As it is known, DeltaV was developing hybrid fuel rocket engines under the leadership of Mr. Arif.

 

[Saithan]

Effects of Drag on Orbital Motion​

• Satellites in low orbits (<600 km) may be slightly affected by viscous drag, or air resistance
• The effects of drag on the motion of the satellite are usually very small, but over time, it can have a significant effect on the height and speed of the satellite's orbit

Viscous drag can affect the height and speed of a low-orbit satellite as a result of energy dissipation

• The density of the air in the very upper layers of the atmosphere is very low, but not zero
• As a result, satellites travelling through these thin layers of air will experience a small dissipation of kinetic energy into thermal energy
  • This heating is due to the friction between the air particles and the surface of the satellite

As a low-orbit satellite loses energy, it spirals towards the Earth as its orbital radius decreases

• As some of the kinetic energy is dissipated into the surroundings, the satellite's total energy is reduced
  • When a satellite loses energy, its orbital radius decreases
  • However, as the satellite's orbit becomes lower, some of its potential energy is transferred to kinetic energy
• Overall, its speed increases and the effects of air resistance become even greater in its lower orbit resulting in greater dissipation of kinetic energy into thermal energy
• If the overall decrease in potential energy is larger than the overall increase in kinetic energy, the total energy will decrease

So these satellites will have a life expectancy of some 5 years or so.

https://ferganispace.com/en/services/satellite-constellations/

 

[dBSPL]

NEVSPACE's Reusable Rocket Engine Project Comes to Life with TÜBİTAK Support: NEVSPACE has achieved a significant success with its “Solid Composite Fueled Cartridge Loaded Reusable Rocket Motor” project. The project was entitled to be supported under the TÜBİTAK 1507 - SME R&D Support Program.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1879235988352123070

 

[dBSPL]

One of the new navigation signal type introduced with the Block III GPS are a protocol called M-Code, which is designed for direct military use and warzone conditions. It is designed to further enhance the high anti-jamming capability and secure access of military GPS signals. This signal is broadcast with a high-gain directional antenna, in addition to a wide angle antenna. The directional antenna's signal, termed a spot beam, is intended to be aimed at a specific region and increase the local signal strength.

M-code also includes: Satellites will transmit two distinct signals from two antennas. Binary offset carrier modulation. Occupies 24 MHz of bandwidth. It uses a new MNAV navigational message, which is packetized instead of framed, allowing for flexible data payloads. There are four effective data channels; different data can be sent on each frequency and on each antenna. It can include FEC and error detection. The spot beam is ~20 dB more powerful than the whole Earth coverage beam. M-code signal at Earth's surface: –158 dBW for whole Earth antenna, –138 dBW for spot beam antennas.

The features in these open sources are also summarized on the relevant wiki page. This new block system also envisages significant innovations in the GPS operational control segment (OCS), and those interested can take a look at this page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPS_Block_III In short, significant advances are emerging not only in life safety and civilian use, but also and predomnantly in non-civilian use. This makes access to this technology to some extent essential for armed forces with very specific requirements, such as the TAF. Probably the global positioning constellation satellites project will also be a very large and comprehensive aerospace program that cannot be limited to a few individual aerospace companies. To the best of my limited knowledge, what appears for some just to be a passive signal broadcasting satellite will have to be backed up by a very powerful infrastructure.

They were notes I took in early 2024 about ongoing work in the US MoD. I guess Fergani Uzay's constellation/GPS satellites are also a program that prioritizes military use. I quote for reference.

 

[Sanchez]

Axiom Space, TUA to Explore Supply Chain Opportunities for the Turkish Space Industry Ecosystem​

Axiom Space and The Turkish Space Agency (TUA) have signed an important collaboration agreement to explore and identify potential supply chain opportunities for the Turkish space industry ecosystem in the development of the planned Axiom Station and other Axiom Space activities. As part of this collaboration, the two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) covering mutual cooperation in fields such as space technology, aerospace, textiles, material science, advanced manufacturing, communications, and life sciences.

Shared Goals of TUA and Axiom Space
The primary objectives of the collaboration between TUA and Axiom Space include:

1. Establishing a laboratory for research and exploration.
2. Creating manufacturing facilities that leverage microgravity environments.
3. Providing a platform to test space materials and validate technologies for deep-space missions.
4. Building a hub for transportation, logistics, and other services in low-Earth orbit (LEO).
5. Developing new platforms for communication and observation.
6. Creating a training ground for professional astronauts.

The partnership envisions co-production of specific modules in Türkiye, bringing significant benefits to the Turkish space industry and strengthening its global presence.

Axiom Space, TUA to Explore Supply Chain Opportunities for the Turkish Space Industry Ecosystem

Jan 18, 2025 -

www.axiomspace.com

 

[Turkic]

Axiom Space, TUA to Explore Supply Chain Opportunities for the Turkish Space Industry Ecosystem​

Axiom Space and The Turkish Space Agency (TUA) have signed an important collaboration agreement to explore and identify potential supply chain opportunities for the Turkish space industry ecosystem in the development of the planned Axiom Station and other Axiom Space activities. As part of this collaboration, the two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) covering mutual cooperation in fields such as space technology, aerospace, textiles, material science, advanced manufacturing, communications, and life sciences.

Shared Goals of TUA and Axiom Space
The primary objectives of the collaboration between TUA and Axiom Space include:

1. Establishing a laboratory for research and exploration.
2. Creating manufacturing facilities that leverage microgravity environments.
3. Providing a platform to test space materials and validate technologies for deep-space missions.
4. Building a hub for transportation, logistics, and other services in low-Earth orbit (LEO).
5. Developing new platforms for communication and observation.
6. Creating a training ground for professional astronauts.

The partnership envisions co-production of specific modules in Türkiye, bringing significant benefits to the Turkish space industry and strengthening its global presence.

Axiom Space, TUA to Explore Supply Chain Opportunities for the Turkish Space Industry Ecosystem

Jan 18, 2025 -

www.axiomspace.com

Who let entrepreneurs watch Wall-E

Anyways, very good news

 

[neosinan]

Göktürk Y is loading

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1883409940544410066

 

[IC3M@N FX]

Do we actually have an additional earth observation satellite with an image resolution of 0.5 meters and additional SAR? Or is Turkey planning something like this in the next 6-8 years?
That would be the next construction site that should be tackled.

 

[KhanOfEurasia]

Do we actually have an additional earth observation satellite with an image resolution of 0.5 meters and additional SAR? Or is Turkey planning something like this in the next 6-8 years?
That would be the next construction site that should be tackled.

If we have a Satellite with 0,5 m Resolution, I don't exactly know. Imece 1 is in Space, it have a Submeter Resolution. There is no SAR Satellite from Turkey in the Orbit now, it is planned to launch Göktürk-III, which have SAR Capability. SAR Capabillity is important to track and classify Targets. Göktürk-III will enter Service arround 2028 -30.

İMECE — TÜBİTAK UZAY

Home

uzay.tubitak.gov.tr

An example about the importance of having Space based SAR Capabillity.

 

[what]

Anyone who has access and can share this article?

Turkey is building a spaceport in Somalia

Believe it or not, the president is planning a moonshot

www.economist.com

 

[MhhJA]

Anyone who has access and can share this article?

Turkey is building a spaceport in Somalia

Believe it or not, the president is planning a moonshot

www.economist.com

Alper Gezeravci’s first message from space was a patriotic one. “The future is in the skies,” he said from a Falcon 9 rocket on its 14-day mission in January 2024. The line is one of many attributed to Kemal Ataturk, Turkey’s founder, and Mr Gezeravci, Turkey’s first astronaut, is the poster boy for the space ambitions of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the current leader. The Turkish Space Agency was founded in 2018, and in 2021 the president announced a ten-year plan for space, including home-made satellites and a moon landing. Mr Gezeravci campaigned alongside Mr Erdogan’s AK Party after returning to Earth.

State spending on space research and development has risen from $4.7m in 2013 to a still-tiny $140m in 2025, but it is increasing. In December the government began work on a spaceport in Somalia, a project that has been projected to cost $350m. Space is a matter of national prestige for Mr Erdogan, but it is also an important auxiliary to the booming Turkish defence industry. The government has confirmed that it also wants to use its spaceport as a place to test missiles; from Somalia they can safely be fired east. Last month Mr Erdogan announced that Turkey is developing a missile with a 2,000km range, more than twice that of its current Tayfun.

Turkey’s domestic satellites are already integrated with its drones, which can be controlled anywhere in the world from the Turksat 5B, launched in 2021. Selcuk Bayraktar, chairman of Turkey’s biggest drone manufacturer Baykar (and Mr Erdogan’s son-in-law), founded a sister company, Fergani Space, in 2022 to develop space technology. Last month it launched its FGN-100-D1 positioning and communication satellite, one of a hundred it plans to put in orbit over the next five years to build a global-positioning system that can be used by the armed forces. Space is an arena where Turkey may annoy its Western allies: it has applied to join the International Lunar Research Station, a Chinese-Russian rival to America’s Artemis programme.

Mr Erdogan has poured cash into the defence industry, even considering a tax on credit cards and car and property sales to support the sector. But his budget deficit may put a dampener on his plans; and the defence sector is not immune to the country’s brain drain, with many engineers leaving to work abroad for much better pay. Mr Erdogan may be looking to the stars, but Turkey’s talented youth are more likely to be looking at their pay cheques.

 

[IC3M@N FX]

It's good for the country and for BAYKAR but why is TAI not receiving any love? Does the government pitch only BAYKAR's products when doing these visits? Or is TAI's drones inferior or sth?

It could be strategic in nature, Anka S and Aksungur are SATCOM drones.
This means that the customer could/should possibly use satellite communication with the Turkish state satellite network in order for them to function optimally e.g. in terms of latency, encryption, software compatibility etc. with the Turkish satellites.
I don't know how easy or difficult it is to integrate these drones into foreign networks. But I say that with reservations

But here we have the problem of a conflict of interest, foreign nations may have access to the Turkish satellite network, which is firstly a security risk, and secondly a political dilemma if country XY attacks Turkish drones with SATCOM a country that has serious economic interests or relations with Turkey.
We would be in a conflict of interest, Baykar has both drones with ground stations and satellite connection additionally a commercial satellite network with low orbital satellites is launched by Fergani (Baykar) as this network is an official commercial one.
The Turkish state can officially claim that it has no access to this network and does not interfere in commercial company affairs.
Just like Starlink in Ukraine Russia war.

As already mentioned, this is just a guess

 

[Sanchez]

It could be strategic in nature Anka S and Aksungur are SATCOM drones.

So are Akıncı and TB3.

 

[IC3M@N FX]

So are Akıncı and TB3.

That is true but in 2-3 years Baykar would have a satellite network of 30-50 low orbit satellites in 5 years it would be 70 to 100.
Until the drones are delivered, until these people are trained, both pilots and maintenance crew. It will easily take at least 1-2 years until the armed forces have fully integrated it into the air force and navy, and there is also time.

 

[Sanchez]

That is true but in 2-3 years Baykar would have a satellite network of 30-50 low orbit satellites in 5 years it would be 70 to 100.
Until the drones are delivered, until these people are trained, both pilots and maintenance crew. It will easily take at least 1-2 years until the armed forces have fully integrated it into the air force and navy, and there is also time.

I really doubt Fergani's satellite swarm will be proprietary for Baykar drones. And I think your timeline is a bit too optimistic.