Turkiye launches first mini satellite with SpaceX rocket

Turkiye's first mini satellite Grizu-263A designed by the Grizu-263 Space Team has been launched into space on a SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.

Thursday's launch took place in Cape Canaveral, Florida where the United States shares its Space Force Station.

The satellite emitted its first signals, its developer said.

"Our satellite is alive!!!"

"Pride. We designed, manufactured, tested and launched into space. Now our satellite, Grizu-263A, is on its duty safe and sound," space team captain Cagla Aytac Dursun said.

The satellite will operate for nearly five years in a low earth orbit. 

Established in 2016 by the students of the Engineering Faculty at Zonguldak Bulent Ecevit University in the Black Sea province of Zonguldak, Grizu-263 aims to work on space and satellite technologies and participate in international competitions.

The team was named after a firedamp explosion that killed 263 miners in the Kozlu district in 1992. The Turkish word for "firedamp" is "grizu".

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Erdogan congratulates launch

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised the launch of the mini-satellite.

"I congratulate our young people, teachers and supporting institutions that showed the success of taking part in this project that was the first from Turkiye," Erdogan said on Twitter.

The team that developed the Grizu-263A mini-satellite had won first prize in Turkiye's largest technology and aviation festival Teknofest in 2019, Erdogan said.

The team has also received two second placed finishes in competitions sponsored by NASA.

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