Turkish space tech firm launches new satellites into space

Turkish space technology firm Plan-S launched four new satellites into space onboard SpaceX Falcon 9, as a part of the Transporter-14 mission.

Plan-S, founded in 2021, develops next-generation satellite and space technologies. The firm provides solutions for Internet of Things (IoT) communications, Earth observation, and remote sensing via team satellites operating in low Earth orbit.

The firm's satellite-based IoT communication network, Connecta IoT Network, provides low-energy, cost-effective, and reliable connectivity, connecting millions of devices in energy, agriculture, infrastructure, and logistics sectors.

Plan-S previously launched 13 satellites, along with test satellites, to establish the network. The firm added four new ones with the SpaceX mission and the new satellites entered orbit.

The four new satellites will increase the already-existing system's data processing capabilities and service quality, while increasing data collection frequency by 40% compared to the previous generations, and providing gigabit-speed data access via 12 satellites.

The IoT antennae and the orientation systems used in the four new satellites have been produced by Plan-S engineers, ensuring technological independence and reducing satellite production costs.

The company aims to establish a large satellite network of hundreds of satellites by 2030.

Ozdemir Gumusay, the CEO of Plan-S, said that the firm's new satellites will bring them “one step closer to the goal of facilitating uninterrupted, global connectivity,” noting that their Connecta IoT Network can provide access to areas where terrestrial networks cannot reach.

Gumusay mentioned that Plan-S' network is the first next-generation satellite-IoT network to be operationally tested and field-proven.

“We have further enhanced our homegrown design and production capabilities with these four new satellites,” he said. “Nearly all critical subsystems of these satellites were designed by our engineers and manufactured by our technicians, further boosting the domestically produced component rate in our satellites.”

“This marks a significant milestone for Türkiye's technological independence and long-term sustainability,” he added.

Gokmen Cengiz, the firm's CTO, said that the firm put in the effort to make their system more sustainable and scalable, in addition to improving their service quality with the four new satellites.

Cengiz emphasized that Plan-S now has 17 active satellites in orbit, with the addition of the new ones and including the first satellite launched three years ago.

“We collect data from IoT devices across the world via our four ground stations in Ankara, Erzurum, and Sweden,” he said. “Our efforts strengthen Türkiye's space presence while contributing to a globally connected future.”