Satellite System Design
TÜBİTAK UZAY, involved in satellite production since 2002, has acquired the capability and developed the facilities to be able to produce satellite systems.
All structural, thermal and optical analyses, design, production, assembly and tests of satellite systems are made at TÜBİTAK UZAY. Additionally, many research studies in foreseen critical areas are being made for future space projects . Production methods, material technologies, test and measurement techniques, spaceborne mechanisms and self deployable structures are among these research areas.
The necessary capabilities for design, analysis, production and verification phases of Satellite Attitude and Orbit Determination and Control Subsystem (orbit propagators and estimators, attitude estimators and controllers, real time software development infrastructure, system design infrastructure) have been established. In addition, the necessary capabilities for design, analysis, production and verification of the relevant hardware (reaction wheel, star tracker, magnetometer, etc.) have also been acquired. Systems engineering as well as mission analysis and design activities for various projects and satellites for different missions and altitudes are carried out by the satellite systems engineering team.
The facilities of the institute support not only the activities in space and satellite related activities but also activities in other areas mentioned above and interdisciplinary areas.
The Reliability Laboratory of TÜBİTAK UZAY enables us to make the reliability tests and analyses of all electronic devices, whether it be at development or production phase or in use. The tests and analyses are done according to relevant international standards. (
Reliability Assessment Laboratory)
Manufacturing, inspection and test of satellite systems, subsystems and equipments have been performed in a class 1000 clean room (ISO class 6) in compliance with ESA standards. Dynamic satellite environment simulator, thermal vacuum chamber, laminar flow cabinet, curing oven, thermal cycling chamber and special storeroom with storage management system are installed for manufacturing satellites and satellite equipments.
Facility Establishment Project for Electric Propulsion Applications Research and Hall Thruster Development (HALE)
Through HALE (Facility Establishment Project for Electric Propulsion Applications Research and Hall Thruster Development) Turkey will establish its first facility for research and development of electric thruster technologies. This project will build necessary knowledge base and facilities to design, manufacture, and test Hall effect thrusters. This facility will be established at TÜBİTAK UZAY with the support of the State Planning Organization (DPT). The thrusters, that will be developed and tested by this laboratory, will make it possible to design complicated space projects like lunar or interplanetary missions. And the infrastructure will be available for the development of new projects
Electric propulsion is relatively new to the space community as a reliable thrust generation technique and therefore will induce a more competitive space industry in Turkey. The project will increase the level of knowledge in space technology, in particular in the area of propulsion systems. The facility, that will be established during the project, will be available for all researchers, who want to work in this area.
HALE is going to develop a facility, which has strategic, technological and commercial importance at the international level. This will increase the number of infrastructures developed using national resources and the capacity it creates is going to minimize the dependence to other countries. It will also add the electric propulsion technology among the science and technology areas, where researchers can be productive using national resources only. HALE is going to be an important step for the national Moon Project.
