Türkiye Set to Launch Türksat 7A Satellite Project in Early 2026

Türkiye's state-owned satellite operator, Türksat, plans to launch the Türksat 7A project, a next-generation communications satellite, in the first quarter of 2026, with preparations already underway.

“By the end of this year, we expect to collect bids from potential domestic and international manufacturers. This will determine the final model, scope and pricing,” Türksat General Manager Ahmet Hamdi Atalay said, The Caspian Post reports citing Turkish media.

According to Atalay, the goal is to officially begin the 7A project in the first quarter of next year and launch the satellite in 2029.

He said the Türksat 7A communications satellite is being designed to replace the aging Türksat 3A, which is nearing the end of its service life.

Currently, six Türksat satellites - 3A (the country’s oldest satellite in space presently), 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B and 6A - are actively operating in space, in addition to the locally produced Göktürk observation satellite.

Türksat 6A, Türkiye’s first domestically developed communications satellite, completed its first year in orbit in July this year.

Türksat is also working on a large-scale data center capable of supporting advanced artificial intelligence, traditional servers and critical government data operations in the capital Ankara.