President of the Presidency of Defense Industries, Haluk Görgün, stated that they plan to carry out the first launch test of the Şimşek-1 satellite launch system, which has the capacity to be placed in low Earth orbit, in 2027, and added: "We will plan the development and testing of the Şimşek-2 satellite launch system, for which conceptual design activities are ongoing to place satellites weighing 1,500 kilograms into a 700-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit, by the end of this year."
Dear Ministers, esteemed guests, valued members of the press,
I would like to begin by expressing my pleasure at being with you on the occasion of the "New Age of Connectivity Forum" organized with the motto "The Future is Now Close." I hope this forum brings prosperity to all participants and to our country. I greet you all with love and respect. [Applause]
As you are aware, today’s battlefield environment has made nations increasingly dependent on space-based systems. The growing needs for precise positioning and timing, real-time imagery and signal intelligence, and communication across regional and global geographies have been driving the commercial and military use of space systems at an ever-accelerating pace.
With the rising demand for space systems, countries have increased their investments in space technologies, leading to significant technological advancements. These capabilities include satellite launch systems, communication satellites, meteorological satellites, positioning and timing satellites, reconnaissance and surveillance satellites, signal intelligence satellites, anti-satellite systems, and space-based surveillance systems.
As countries’ space capabilities grow, technological competition has intensified, evolving into an international race for space superiority. Today, military operations heavily rely on satellite communications to be executed effectively. Countries with robust capabilities in providing uninterrupted, geography- and condition-independent communication gain a significant force multiplier.
Satellites operating in all frequency bands today support the operational capabilities of advanced nations. Integrated systems that enable real-time, secure communication among all platforms are replacing traditional strategic and tactical military approaches. Due to their wide-area coverage and independence from geography, space technologies are now a backbone of this integration.
In the space projects led and planned by the Presidency of Defense Industries, we aim to advance this integration even further. To meet the Turkish Armed Forces’ need for space-based communication, our procurement and localization efforts for KU-band and X-band satellite terminals and satellite transceivers for air, land, and sea forces continue.
Satellite communication centers—primary and backup—as well as terminals for both mobile and fixed users, are being designed and manufactured domestically with national capabilities. Due to evolving operational concepts, satellite communications, which are minimally affected by geographic conditions, have become one of the primary means of communication for the Turkish Armed Forces.
Looking ahead, we are actively involved in the planning to meet future satellite communication needs through the domestically-produced
TÜRKSAT 7A platform. We understand the importance of initiating procurement and R&D projects in the right areas to build a sustainable domestic space and satellite technology infrastructure. It is crucial that these products undergo rigorous, planned testing phases—known as "heritage" processes—to prove their performance in space conditions.
Hence, when developing satellite equipment and technologies, we ensure R&D, qualification, and heritage phases are continuous and aligned with previously designed operational satellite platforms.
To obtain very high-resolution satellite imagery for the Turkish Armed Forces, we are carrying out the
Göktürk Renewal Satellite System Development Project, the İMECE-23 High-Resolution Satellite Constellation Project, and the Göktürk-3 Project.
Under our ongoing space access projects, we are continuing work on developing a satellite launch system. We plan to conduct the first launch test of the
Şimşek-1 system—which can place satellites weighing at least 400 kg into low Earth orbit (550 km)—in 2027. For satellites weighing up to 1,500 kg and destined for 700 km sun-synchronous orbits, we are continuing conceptual design work on the
Şimşek-2 launch system and aim to initiate its development and testing by the end of this year. Our goal is for Şimşek-2 to be capable of deploying our reconnaissance satellites into orbit in the future.
We also value the efforts of the Turkish Space Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Technology, which coordinates developments in the civil space sector and pursues international cooperation. We strive to contribute as much as we can, believing in the importance of their work.
Our country’s space ecosystem continues to work with full commitment and determination to stay competitive in the global space race. I thank everyone involved in these efforts.
We reaffirm our strong commitment to supporting the National Space Program announced by our President. In closing, I express my hope that our country will reach a self-reliant space industry capable of producing original, competitive, and reliable products for the global market.
I express my gratitude to everyone and all institutions involved in organizing this event. I am pleased to be a stakeholder in this important forum and wish it brings prosperity to our country. I greet you all with love and respect.
