Turkish transport minister visits SpaceX launch facility in Texas

By Dilara Zengin Okay

TEXAS, US (AA) - Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu visited SpaceX's production and launch facility in Brownsville, Texas, on Wednesday.

Uraloglu traveled to the US for the launch ceremony of Türkiye’s first locally-built communication satellite, Turksat 6A, and inspected SpaceX's facility, according to a statement from the ministry.

During his visit, the minister toured the main production areas and received detailed briefings about the facility's operations.

Describing SpaceX's facilities as the intersection of technology, engineering, and diligent effort, Uraloglu highlighted the production and launch capabilities of the Starship rocket.

"They produce and launch the Starship rocket here, with plans for weekly launches. The integration of production and launch facilities in one location is crucial," he remarked.

Uraloglu noted that SpaceX aims to launch up to 60 low-orbit satellites simultaneously using the Starship rocket from this site.

He also celebrated the successful launch of Türkiye's Turksat 6A satellite into orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX's Cape Canaveral facility in Florida on July 9.

Turksat 6A, Türkiye's first geostationary communications satellite, was developed in collaboration with the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye's Space Technologies Research Institute and Turkish Aerospace Industries. It will operate at the 42 degrees East orbital position.