The first launch of 2021 took place on January 8th at 02:15 UTC when Türksat-5A launched onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the SLC-40 launch pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

This was not an entirely new rocket. The Falcon 9s have the ability to reuse their first stage and sometimes their fairings.

This launch included the fourth flight of booster 1060 and was the 104th flight of a Falcon 9. The booster made its fourth landing on the drone ship Just Read the Instructions, about eight and a half minutes after launch.

For those of you keeping score at home, the fairings were both previously flown and both were recovered from the water.

Türksat 5A is Türksat’s first geostationary communications satellite built at the new Turkish Aerospace Industries Satellite Assembly Integration and Test Facility (UMET) in Ankara.

It is based on an all-electric version of the Eurostar E3000 satellite platform made by Airbus Defense and Space, and about 20% of the technology is Turkish in origin.

Unlike traditional communication satellites, Türksat 5A uses several small electric thrusters to reach its final orbit, instead of some form of a single large bi-propellant engine using fuels like nitrogen oxide and hydrazine. This increases the amount of time it will take to reach its final geosynchronous orbit from a week or so to months. What the mission lacks in zip, it makes up for in the slick design. These electric thrusters substantially reduce the satellite’s weight. This reduction allowed it to be launched on the smaller and less expensive Falcon 9.

From its future location at 31 degrees East in the geostationary belt, Türksat 5A will use 42 Ku-band transponders to provide telecommunication and direct TV broadcasting services to much of the eastern half of the northern hemisphere. If all goes well, this mission is designed to function for the next 15 years.

Turkish officials have reiterated their plans to launch its sister satellite, Türksat 5B, in June 2021 with SpaceX.

More Information

Türksat press release 1 (Turkish)

Türksat press release 2 (Turkish)

Türksat press release 3 (Turkish)

Türksat press release 4 (Turkish)

Türksat-5A info page (Gunter’s Space Page)