Turksat 4B communication satellite to be launched tonight

Interim Transportation, Maritime and Communication Minister Feridun Bilgin announced on Thursday that the Turksat 4B communication satellite would be launched on Friday.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Bilgin said that the satellite will be launched on Friday at 11:40 p.m. from the Baykonur Cosmodrome. "After the launch, first, the satellite will be placed into orbit, orbit tests will be carried out, and then the Turksat 4B satellite will be commissioned. The Turksat 4B satellite will be used for Internet access over the KA band," said Bilgin. The satellite will increase Turkey's Internet capacity and Internet use through the satellite will become more common.

The 4B communication satellite will be placed into orbit at 50 degrees on the eastern orbit and will be the first satellite operated at 50 degrees by Turkey. The satellite's range will cover Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Turkic Republics.

Bilgin said that the Internet access provided through the satellite will increase with the KA band; meaning that fast internet access with lower costs will be offered to users and the data communication capacity will increase by 3 Gbps.

The additional 792 MHz capacity the satellite will provide through the KA frequency band will ensure faster live TV connections as well, and the capacity reserved for data communication and switching to live broadcasting will be transferred to the Turksat 4B communication satellite; the capacity for TV broadcasting at the 42 degree east orbit will be increased and this service will be offered to more TV channels.

While the production of the Turksat 4B communication satellite was completed on June 4, 2014, due to failures that occurred during the launch of a proton rocket at Baykonur Cosmodrome, the launch was postponed to Oct. 16, 2015.