Türkiye's Fergani Space Deploys 5th Test Satellite Via SpaceX

(MENAFN) Turkish aerospace firm Fergani Space has successfully placed its fifth test satellite into orbit, marking a significant leap in the country’s drive toward full independence in space technologies.

The 113-kilogram satellite, designated FGN-100-D3, lifted off Monday at 2:02 p.m. Türkiye time (1102 GMT) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-16 mission. Sixty-six minutes after liftoff, at 3:08 p.m. local time (1208 GMT), the spacecraft separated from the launch vehicle and settled into its designated orbit at an altitude of 500 to 520 kilometers (310 to 323 miles), according to a statement from Baykar.

The launch was tracked in real time by the Fergani Space mission team operating from the Space Observation and Control Center at the Ozdemir Bayraktar National Technology Center in Istanbul. The satellite has since commenced full orbital operations, equipped with onboard communications and navigation systems.

Baykar chairman and chief technology officer Selcuk Bayraktar hailed the milestone on Turkish social media platform NSosyal, saying the company’s work “beyond the horizon” was continuing.

“FGN-100-D3 – Fergani’s fifth test satellite, distinguished by its communications and navigation capabilities – has successfully taken its place in space!” he said.

What sets FGN-100-D3 apart from its predecessors is the extent of its domestically engineered components. Fergani said the satellite incorporates entirely in-house-developed critical systems, including a reaction wheel, magnetic torque rod, magnetometer, inertial measurement unit, and GNSS receiver. The spacecraft also carries an AI-supported onboard computer purpose-built for advanced mission profiles — with the in-orbit validation of these homegrown systems and avionics regarded as a pivotal stride toward Türkiye’s self-sufficiency in space.

Fergani has moved at a striking pace since entering the orbital arena in early 2025. Its debut satellite, FGN-100-D1, launched in January 2025, followed by FGN-100-D2 on November 2, 2025 — described at the time as Türkiye’s largest privately built satellite at 104 kilograms. Later that month, on November 28, the company launched FGN-TUG-S01, billed as the world’s first hybrid-propulsion orbital transfer vehicle, carrying the 10-kilogram FRG-10D1 CubeSat.

Looking ahead, Fergani has set its sights on constructing the Ulugh Beg Global Positioning System — a constellation of more than 100 satellites — within five years, funded entirely through its own resources. Development of a nationally built launch vehicle is also actively underway.

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