The Gokturk 1 (Gokturk 1A) reconnaissance satellite was launched successfully at 1351 GMT on an Arianespace operated Vega launch vehicle flying out of the Kourou launch site in French Guaina. The launch was the eight mission success (seven orbital one suborbital) for the Vega launch vehicle which has yet to have a failure.
Gokturk 1A is a high resolution reconnaissance satellite owned and operated by the Turkish Ministry of Defence but also with civilian Earth observational use. The 1,140kg satellite which operates in a near polw Sun-synchronous low Earth orbit, was built Telespazio with Thales Alenia Space building the Proteus bus. It has a panchromatic resolution of 0.5m.
