T3 Podcast | Hasan Hüseyin Ertok – Service from Space to Earth

On the T3 Podcast, we examine the conversation titled "Service from Space to Earth" with Hasan Hüseyin Ertok, General Manager of Türksat. The discussion explores Türksat’s rich history, ongoing critical projects, and its vision for younger generations within the framework of the National Technology Initiative.

Türksat’s experience in satellite communications dates back to the 1970s during the PTT era. This expertise was solidified with the launch of the first Türksat satellite in 1994. In 2004, due to the strategic importance of satellite communications, the company was corporatized as Türksat A.Ş. and has since become Turkey’s most important “school” in this field. Hasan Hüseyin Ertok has been part of this team for 17 years, contributing to the company’s growth through various roles.

Türksat’s activities are grouped under three main categories: satellite communications, information services, and cable TV/internet.

• Satellite Communications: Türksat currently serves a wide geographic area with a fleet of five satellites. The most critical project in this domain is Türksat 6A, Turkey’s first domestically developed communication satellite, built entirely with national resources after nine years of development under the National Technology Initiative. With its planned launch in the first quarter of next year, Türkiye will take a major step forward as both an operator and a producer of satellites.
• Information Services: Since 2008, Türksat has assumed full responsibility for the development and operation of the e-Government Portal and leads public institutions in their digital transformation processes. In the near future, it aims to expand cloud services through a major investment in a data center.
• Cable TV and Internet: With over 1.4 million subscribers, Türksat aims to accelerate its fiber transition and achieve internet speeds of up to 100 gigabits.

Satellites perform different functions depending on their orbital altitude:

• Communication Satellites (Geostationary Orbit): Positioned at an altitude of 35,786 kilometers, these satellites orbit at the same speed as Earth, enabling television broadcasting and uninterrupted internet access to ships, aircraft, and remote schools.
• Observation and Surveillance Satellites (Low Earth Orbit): Satellites such as Göktürk and İmece operate in low Earth orbits to provide high-resolution imaging and intelligence gathering.
• Navigation Satellites (Medium Earth Orbit): Systems like GPS use these satellites to provide positioning information.

To attract young talent to satellite technologies, Türksat organizes the Model Satellite Competition under the Teknofest framework. This competition gives students hands-on experience in design and manufacturing processes and fosters the emergence of new ventures. The success of the Grizu-263 team, which founded its own company to produce a small satellite, exemplifies the tangible outcomes of this support. Türksat also runs programs such as the "Candidate Engineering Program" to integrate university students into its workforce.

In conclusion, Hasan Hüseyin Ertok’s insights reveal that Türksat is not merely a satellite operator but a strategic institution building Türkiye’s space technology ecosystem, nurturing young talent, and inspiring the next generation of innovators.