Turksat (satellite)
Turksat is the name of a series of Turkish communications satellites. The Turksat project is supervised by Türksat A.Ş. and Aérospatiale.
Satellites overview
| Satellite | Launch | Status | ||
| Date | Site | Vehicle | ||
| Türksat 1A | 1994-01-24 |  ELA-2 Guiana Space Centre |
 Ariane-44LP H10+ |
launch failure |
| Türksat 1B | 1994-08-10 | ELA-2 Guiana Space Centre |
Ariane-44LP H10+ |
mission ended 2006 |
| Türksat 1C | 1996-07-09 | ELA-2 Guiana Space Centre |
Ariane-44L H10-3 |
mission ended 2008 |
| Türksat 2A | 2001-01-10 | ELA-2 Guiana Space Centre |
Ariane-44P H10-3 |
in use |
| Türksat 3A | 2008-06-12 | ELA-3 Guiana Space Centre |
Ariane 5ECA |
in use |
| Türksat 4A | 2014-02-14 |  Baikonur Cosmodrome |
 Proton-M |
development finished; ready for launch |
| Türksat 4B | 2014-06 | Baikonur Cosmodrome |
Proton-M |
development finished; ready for launch |
| Türksat 5A | 2015 | TBD | TBD | in development |
| Türksat 5B | 2017 | TBD | TBD | projected |
| Türksat 5C | 2019 | TBD | TBD | projected |
Turksat 1A
Turksat 1A was the first attempt of the project and launched by Ariane 4 from Centre Spatial Guyanais in Kourou, French Guiana on January 24, 1994.
Due to the failure of the launcher, the satellite exploded in the air before reaching its orbit.
Turksat 1B
After the loss of Turksat 1A, Turksat 1B was successfully located at 42°E orbit on August 11, 1994. After the orbital tests Turksat 1B was put into service on October 10, 1994.
Turksat 1B has three different coverage areas, Turkey, Central Europe and Central Asia. The satellite carries 16 transponders, 10 of 36 MHz, 6 of 72 MHz operating in Ku band (11–14 GHz). There are 4 transponder switching capability between Turkey and Central Europe, and 3 between Turkey and Central Asia.
Turksat 1B provides TV and radio broadcasting, data and telephone transmissions. On the other hand, TES (Telephony Earth Station) Project and Internet Broadcasting Systems (including 40 southeast rural area IBS) are also transmitting from Türksat 1B.
Turksat 1C
After the Turksat 1A launch failure, Aérospatiale Company started building a new satellite under the insurance terms of the turnkey system contract. Modifying the contract with Aérospatiale, Turksat 1C coverage area was enlarged by two big zones different from Turksat 1B coverage areas.
Turksat 1C was designed for covering Turkey on west spot and Europe on east spot so as to serve simultaneously between Turkey and Europe with Turkey and Central Asia and to provide direct connection between Europe and Central Asia.
Turksat 1C was successfully launched at 31.3°E position on July 10, 1996. Completing the orbital tests, this satellite shifted from longitude 31.3°E to 42°E. After this process which took 17 days, the broadcast traffic of the Turksat 1B was transferred to Turksat 1C. Finally when these processes finished Turksat 1B was shifted with similar orbital manoeuvres to 31.3°E position.
On July 16 2008, all traffic on Turksat 1C was transferred to Turksat 3A. After this date Turksat 1C was shifted at 31.3°E. It is being used in inclined orbit. In October 27 2008, it got deactivated.
Turksat 2A
Turksat Satellite Systems continued progress regarding the need of new satellites having multi-channels, larger coverage, and backup capability like the other Satellite Operator satellites in the international market. To serve with a larger coverage area for resident customers and to compete with the other Satellite Operators in the literal sense, the new satellite would be located at the same position with Turksat 1C.
Türk Telekom set up a joint venture company with Aérospatiale (merged by Alcatel Space, then Thales Alenia Space), called EurasiaSat, which would be in charge of purchasing a new generation satellite named Turksat 2A (also known as Eurasiasat 1). Turksat 2A started commercial service on February 1, 2001 with the same 42°E location of Turksat 1C.
Turksat 2A satellite carries a 34 high powered transponders payload consisting of 22 of 33 MHz fixed beam transponders and 12 of 36 MHz transponders with 2 steerable beams.
Turksat 2A BSS Band fixed beam transponders have two coverage zones like Turksat 1C:
- West Zone covers the British Isles in the west, Scandinavian countries in the north, North Africa in the south, Caspian Sea in the east.
- East Zone covers the Balkan Peninsula in the west, Russian Federation in the north, Pakistan in the south, China national boundary in the east.
Inside of the footprint such as south Asia and Republic of South Africa can be accessed over the Turksat 2A FSS Band steerable beam transponders.
Turksat 3A
Turksat 3A satellite will enable Turksat to offer telecommunication services as well as direct TV broadcasting services though a broader area than its existing satellites covering Turkey, Europe, Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. With the help of its switchable transponders, Turksat 3A will act as a bridge between Europe and Asia. Turksat 3A's Turkey coverage has been specially designed to provide very efficient gain for broadband applications like VSAT services giving customers low-cost, up-link systems.
Based on Thales Alenia Space Spacebus 4000B2, Turksat 3A is fitted with 24 Ku-band transponders and offers beginning of life power of about 8 kW. Positioned at 42°E, Turksat 3A will weight 3060 kg at launch and will replace Turksat 1C satellite.[1]
Turksat 3A was launched by Arianespace atop an Ariane 5ECA carrier rocket, along with the British Skynet 5C satellite, in a dual-payload launch on 12 June 2008 at 22:05:02 GMT, from ELA-3 at the Guiana Space Centre.
Notes
Bibliography
- (French) (English) Guy Lebègue, Aérospatiale, Cannes, France, (trad. Robert J. Amral), « Turksat : A Turnkey Satellite », in Revue aerospatiale, N°72, October 1990, ISSN 0994-9003.