Article Posted on : - Jun 21, 2013

An artistic representation of Göktürk-1 satellite.

LE BOURGET, FRANCE (BNS): Arianespace is planning to launch the Göktürk-1 satellite for the Turkish government.

The launch contract for the Göktürk-1 satellite was signed between Arianespace and Telespazio.

Telespazio is the prime contractor for the Göktürk-1 high-resolution observation system, while Thales Alenia Space is providing the space segment.

Weighing 1100 kg at launch, the Göktürk-1 satellite will be launched by Arianespace's Vega light launcher into a Sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of about 700 km. It will be launched from the Guiana Space Center, French Guiana, in 2015, according to a news release by Arianespace.

The Göktürk-1 system will provide very-high-quality panchromatic and multispectral products for a wide range of applications, including cadastral surveys, management of natural resources, environmental monitoring and homeland surveillance.

The objectives of Göktürk-1 programme is to procure a satellite with a E/O payload in order to provide high resolution images from any location in the world for both military and civilian purposes such as forest control, illegal construction, crop management and casualty assessment after natural disasters and to establish an Assembly Integration and Test Center for testing and integrating all type of satellites up to 5 tonnes in weight.