Turkey Launches First Domestically-Built Communications Satellite

Turkey launched its first homegrown communications satellite into orbit early on Tuesday. The Turksat 6A was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida by SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. The 4.25-ton satellite, which has a design life of 15 years, will operate at the 42 degrees East orbital position.

Turkey's Transport and Infrastructure Minister, Abdulkadir Uraloglu, said the first signal from the satellite was received 67 minutes after it was launched. The country also joined an exclusive club of only 11 nations capable of building high-tech communications satellites. The minister also said that Turksat 6A was the result of a 10-year effort. 

"More than 81 percent of the subsystems, satellite ground stations and software in the 6A project, which is of great importance for the future of our country in space, have been produced by Turkey with national resources," said Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, as quoted by CBS News. Meanwhile, the launch marked the 68th Falcon 9 launch so far this year for Elon Musk's SpaceX.