Mitsubishi Electric has completed the in-orbit delivery of the TURKSAT-4A satellite to Turksat Satellite Communication, Cable TV and Operation Inc. Co. (Turksat A.S.) on March 29.

TURKSAT-4A was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on February 15 (Japan time).

After the launch, Mitsubishi Electric confirmed performance in a series of in-orbit tests while the satellite maintained a predefined geostationary orbit about 36,000 kilometers above the equator.

Upon successful completion of the tests, the satellite was handed over to Turksat A.S. to provide communication and broadband services over a wide geographic region west of China and east of the UK, including Turkey as well as Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Meanwhile, this year Mitsubishi Electric also is preparing to launch TURKSAT-4B, as part of an ongoing effort to expand the company's space business both in Japan and in other countries.

Mitsubishi Electric was awarded a turnkey contract for TURKSAT-4A/4B by Turksat A.S. in 2011. Designing, manufacturing and testing were carried out first for TURKSAT-4A, followed by TURKSAT-4B. Most of the final assembly and system testing was conducted at the Tsukuba Space Center in cooperation with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

During this process, Mitsubishi Electric provided Turksat A.S. engineers with a suite of educational and OJT programs about satellite manufacturing and testing.

In addition to providing the satellites, Mitsubishi Electric will support the satellite industry in Turkey, which aims to build its own satellites by 2018. The company hopes these efforts will lead to the expansion of its space business.

TURKSAT-4A is the seventh satellite to incorporate Mitsubishi Electric's original DS2000 satellite platform. All DS2000 satellites launched as of now have operated without problem.

In total, Mitsubishi Electric expects to produce 15 DS2000 satellites, including eight more to be launched by 2017. Building on the DS2000's solid track record, Mitsubishi Electric looks forward to expanding its business the global market for commercial satellites.