Contribution from an academic from Izmir to TÜRKSAT 6A

The radio frequency designs of some antennas and microwave equipment that will enable communication with the ground station of Turkey’s first domestic communication satellite, TÜRKSAT 6A, were carried out at Yaşar University.

The first communication satellite project developed domestically in Turkey to further advance the country’s capabilities in the space domain, the TÜRKSAT 6A project, was realized in partnership with TUSAŞ, ASELSAN, TÜBİTAK UZAY, and CTech. Recently, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced that the work on TÜRKSAT 6A had been completed, and the satellite, which will go to the USA in early June, will be sent into space between July 8-14. The radio frequency designs of some antennas and microwave equipment in the Telemetry Telecommand and Ranging (TTM) Subsystem, which is 90% domestically produced and under the responsibility of CTech, were carried out by Prof. Dr. Mustafa Seçmen and his team at the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Yaşar University. Based on the radio frequency design, the equipment, whose mechanical design, production, and all tests were carried out by CTech, was integrated into the satellite along with other equipment in the subsystem, successfully passed system-level tests, and is now ready to be sent into space in July.

“Enabling communication with the ground station”

Speaking about the work conducted at Yaşar University Electrical-Electronics Engineering laboratories within the scope of the “Development and Production of TÜRKSAT 6A Domestic Communication Satellite” project, Prof. Dr. Seçmen mentioned, “The TTM Subsystem in the satellite undertakes some critical functions, especially ensuring communication with the ground station from the moment the satellite is launched from the Earth until it reaches the geostationary position about 36,000 kilometers away and throughout the satellite’s lifespan of more than 15 years. The TTM Subsystem is the subsystem that provides communication with the ground station after the satellite is launched, responsible for transmitting all commands sent to the satellite and all data received from the satellite. Since all communication with the satellite takes place through the TTM Subsystem, the performance of this subsystem is of great importance for the control, management, and observation of the satellite.” Yaşar University Rector Prof. Dr. Levent Kandiller also commented on the project saying,

“With this project to which Prof. Dr. Mustafa Seçmen contributed with his previous experience in radio frequency designs, we have had three projects related to space at our university. A special antenna was produced based on the frequency design of the antenna and the communication radio. System tests have also been successfully completed, and we are waiting for its launch into space. The designed parts are crucial because this antenna will be the sole means of communication during the satellite launch, and all communication from the satellite’s launch to its orbit will be provided by this antenna. That’s why we attach great importance to this work and congratulate him.”