UPDATE - Türkiye launches its 1st indigenous Earth observation satellite into space

UPDATE WITH COMMENTS FROM PRESIDENT RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN

By Gokhan Ergocun

ISTANBUL (AA) — Türkiye on Saturday successfully launched its first indigenous high-resolution Earth observation satellite, called the IMECE, into space.

The Turkish-made pioneering satellite was blasted off early on Saturday from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in the US state of California at 0648 GMT.

The launch marks the first time that Türkiye will have an electro-optical satellite camera with sub-meter resolution in orbit.

The IMECE's orbit will be sun-synchronous at an altitude of 680 kilometers (422.5 miles) and serve in the areas of defense, disaster management, environment and urbanization, and agriculture and forestry.

During its mission span of five years, the satellite will take images from around the world.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Türkiye had designed, produced, assembled, integrated, and tested the satellite's subsystems by itself.

IMECE will be Türkiye's most advanced observation satellite in terms of image resolution, communication speed, and maneuverability, he added.

The country developed IMECE's critical technologies, including flight computer and communication systems, indigenously, he underlined.

IMECE can take images from all around world, not just Türkiye, with its high-resolution electro-optical camera, which was also developed indigenously.

"Türkiye is reaping the benefits of its national technology move, aiming to rise to the top in the global tech league," Erdogan underlined.

IMECE will be used in many areas, especially in national defense, disaster management, agriculture, forestry, the environment, and urbanization, the president expressed.