The "Preliminary Design Review (PDR)", an important phase of the TÜRKSAT 6A Project, was successfully completed. The meeting was held at TÜBİTAK UZAY on December 31, 2015 with a wide participation. The meeting was attended by representatives of TÜRKSAT A.Ş., the Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications, TÜBİTAK KAMAG, TAI, ASELSAN, CTECH, as well as Project Monitors Prof. Dr. Feza Arıkan from Hacette University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vasfi Emre Ömürlü from Yıldız Technical University and Assoc. Dr. Yusuf Sinan Akgül from Gebze Technical University.
The meeting started with opening and evaluation speeches by Prof. Dr. Ensar Gül, General Manager of TÜRKSAT A.Ş. and Assoc. Dr. Lokman Kuzu, Director of TÜBİTAK Space Technologies Research Institute. Dr. C. Levent Ertürk, Project Manager of TÜRKSAT 6A, gave an evaluation presentation showing the current stage of the project. Presentations on system and subsystem designs were then made. It was observed that a significant portion of the planned works have been realized since the start of the project.
What is the TÜRKSAT 6A Project?
Launched on December 15, 2014, the project will design and manufacture Turkey's first national communication satellite. In this project, a national communication satellite platform will be developed together with the project partners (TAI, ASELSAN, CTECH) by utilizing TÜBİTAK UZAY's experience in the field of space gained in the RASAT and GÖKTÜRK-2 projects.
The project is targeted to be completed in 2019. The project budget is provided by TÜBİTAK and the Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications. TÜRKSAT A.Ş. will be the owner and operator of the satellite after the successful completion of in-orbit commissioning. General specifications of the satellite are given below.
TURKSAT 6A Communication Satellite
| Orbit | 42° East |  |
| Payload | 20 Ku-Band Transmitter | |
| Service Life | > 15 years | |
| Dry Mass | ~1700 kg | |
| Total Mass | ~4000 kg | |
| Power Generation | ~7 kW (End of Life) | |
| Launch Date | 2019 |
