Turkey's Gokturk-2 satellite launched from China

The Gokturk-2 satellite, Turkey's first domestic high resolution observation satellite, was launched from China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on Tuesday, and was successfully put into orbit 686 km above the Earth's surface. The launch of the satellite was watched live at a ceremony at the Space Technologies Research Institute (UZAY) of TUBITAK in Ankara with the participation of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek and Chief of General Staff Gen. Necdet Ozel, as well as many high-level officials. The first images via the satellite are expected to be received at December 25-30, and UZAY Deputy Director Tamer Beser said at the ceremony that the first signals from the satellite were successfully received at a station in Norway's Tromso at 19:39 Turkish local time. Speaking at the ceremony, Erdogan said that the launching of the satellite had shown that Turkey was country that had a claim in the aerospace industry. "The satellite we send to space today is a solid sign of the place that will power and self-confidence can carry Turkey," Erdogan noted.