On 5 December 2016 at 15:51 Kiev time (10:51 local time), Arianspace’s Vega light payload launch vehicle (LV) carrying a Gokturk-1, Turkish reconnaissance satellite, successfully lifted off from French Guiana Space Center in Kourou.

The Vega launch vehicle was developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) jointly with the Italian Space Agency (ASI) to deliver payloads weighing 300 to 1500 kg (depending on the orbit parameters) into the low Earth orbit.

The LV fourth stage main engine, RD-843, was developed by Yuzhnoye State Design Office and manufactured by State Enterprise “Production Association Yuzhny Machine-Building Plant named after A. Makarov” (Yuzhmash PA).

The fourth stage engine was ignited for three times to deliver the spacecraft into the orbit.

This is the second Vega launch in 2016 and the eighth launch since its first launch in 2012.

The Gokturk is the first Turkish Earth observation satellite ordered by the government. It carries

a high-resolution optical instrument (0.8-meter resolution) and designed for both civil and military applications. The satellite will be put into the sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of about 700 km and will be capable of receiving images of any location on Earth for 72 hours.

The Gokturk is based on the Proteus satellite bus and manufactured by Thales Alenia Space in association with Turkish partners, including TAI A.S., Aselsan A.S., Tubitak Bilgem, Roketsan A.S. and
TR Tecnoloji. It is the 145th satellite manufactured by Thales Alenia Space and launched by Arianespace.

The satellite was launched within the contract signed between Telespazio as a prime contractor and the Undersecretariat of Defence Industries of Turkey (SSM) in 2009. Telespazio is also in charge for the satellite integration into the ground segment systems. The SSM was the 55th satellite operator who selected Arianespace to perform the satellite first launch.

Arianespace plans to launch eleven more spacecraft built by Thales Alenia Space: Sentinel-28, SGDC, Telkom-35, KoreaSat-7, Comsat NG 1, four O3b satellites, and two more satellites not made public yet.

Previously, in 1994-2008, Arianespace launched five Turksat telecommunication spacecraft for Turkey.