Turkey signs satellite deal with Japanese firm

March 8, 2011 at 10:59 am | Posted in Space Law Current Events | Leave a comment

by Sara M. Langston with the blog faculty

Source:  English.xinhuanet.com

ANKARA, March 7 (Xinhua) — Turkey on Monday signed a 571 million-U.S. dollar deal with Japanese technology firm Mitsubishi Electric Corporation here to procure and launch two communications satellites by 2014, local media reported.

Turkey plans to place Turksat 4A into orbit by the last quarter of 2013 and launch Turksat 4B in 2014, with the two satellites having a lifespan of 30 years, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.

The deal will lay the ground for cooperation between the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the planned Turkish Space Agency, which is expected to be established next year, said Yildirim.

Turkey also plans to launch its first intelligence satellite next year. [more]