Türkiye’s homegrown Taurus satellite constellation ready for launch

ANKARA

Turkish company Gumush Aerospace has completed preparations for the launch of its homegrown Taurus satellite constellation—a set of 10-centimeter ultra-small satellites that will expand Türkiye’s presence in space and strengthen its role in the global Internet of Things (IoT) market.

Developed with support from the Scientific and Technological Research Institution of Türkiye (TUBITAK), the Taurus pico-satellite constellation will enable data transmission in areas lacking infrastructure and serve sectors such as agriculture, health care, livestock, wildlife conservation, and rural development.

The constellation will have uses in many areas, ranging from transmitting critical information to reach command centers during natural disasters to collecting environmental data on climate change through wildlife observation.

Designed in a 10-by-10-by-2.7-centimeter “0.25U form factor,” each satellite weighs 425 grams and will contribute to the real-time monitoring of energy networks and key infrastructure lines, supporting Türkiye’s position in the global IoT satellite market.

They will serve as IoT relays while collecting AIS messages for maritime traffic and ADS-B messages for air traffic monitoring.

The satellites will be launched in a group of four aboard the SpaceX Bandwagon-4 mission sometime this year to be settled into a 510-kilometer altitude and 45-degree inclined orbit.

This mission marks a first in the Turkish satellite business. The Taurus satellite constellation will become Türkiye’s first satellite launched into a 45-degree inclined orbit.

Türkiye will become the fourth country in the world to develop a multi-functional pico-satellite, a type of ultra-miniature satellite measuring 0.1U to 0.25U. The Taurus constellation will also be one of the smallest yet most functional 0.25U platforms in the world.

Founded in 2012, Gumush Aerospace has become a key player in Türkiye’s satellite ecosystem, developing satellites, gateways, and sensor-equipped ground terminals in partnership with Tubitak, Aselsan, Havelsan, and the Defense Industry Agency (SSB).

The company has also gained international visibility after being featured in NASA’s annual Small Spacecraft Technology Report, which highlighted its contributions to the global CubeSat community.