GÖKTÜRK 2B: Türkiye’s first domestic Earth observation satellite enters service PHOTO

Türkiye has officially inducted its first domestically developed Earth observation satellite, GÖKTÜRK 2B, into service with the Turkish Air Force.

The satellite, known as IMECE, was created by the defence technology company TÜBİTAK UZAY and boasts advanced submeter resolution capabilities.

The news was shared by SavunmaSanayiST.com on the social media platform X, confirming that the high-precision satellite is now part of Türkiye’s military assets under the Air Force Command, per Caliber.Az.

Hava Kuvvetleri Komutanlığı envanterine alınan İMECE uydu sisteminin adı "GÖKTÜRK 2B" oldu. pic.twitter.com/pWLDBwUqlt

— SavunmaSanayiST.com (@SavunmaSanayiST) May 23, 2025

At the induction ceremony, Mehmet Nefes, director of the TÜBİTAK SPACE Institute, expressed immense pride in reaching a milestone that marks the establishment of a full-fledged Turkish space ecosystem. He highlighted the significance of IMECE becoming a national strategic asset.

Nefes also revealed that alongside the ceremony, rigorous testing is ongoing for a high-resolution electro-optical camera developed based on the expertise gained from IMECE. This camera is currently being tested at the USET Centre within TUSAŞ, Türkiye’s aerospace corporation. Once tests are successfully completed, Türkiye plans to begin exporting this critical technology.

“Our vision is to achieve full independence in producing and exporting Earth observation satellites, complete with all subsystems, using entirely domestic resources, talent, and infrastructure,” Nefes said. He also noted ongoing and future work on the IMECE-2 and IMECE-3 satellite projects, emphasising continuous innovation with enhanced features for each new generation of satellites.

This development not only strengthens Türkiye’s military surveillance capabilities but also positions the country as a growing player in the global space technology arena.

By Tamilla Hasanova