Source : World Bulletin / 18 Feb 2014

Turkey launched its TURKSAT 4A communications satellite from the Baikonur Space Center in Kazakhstan on Friday night.

The TURKSAT 4A Communication Satellite was Turkey´s fifth to be put into orbit.

The Turksat 4A telecommunication satellite was jointly produced with Turkish and Japanese engineers.

The satellite was equipped with two 3-panel solar arrays for power generation, a chemical propulsion system for apogee maneuvers as well as orbital adjustments and navigation and stabilization equipment.

Television broadcasts and satellite communication signals will be able to cover the whole of the African continent.

The TURKSAT 4A had a total launch mass of 4,850 kilograms, capable of providing 15kW of power to facilitate powerful communication payloads for mission durations of 15 years and beyond.

TURKSAT 4B, Turkey´s sixth satellite, will be launched on the second quarter of this year. Officials says with TURKSAT 4B Internet services provider fees will be fifty percent cheaper in the country.