Newsletters
A rocket developed by Turkish engineers that can reach hypersonic speed was launched into space from Sinop on June 1.
The company's general manager, Mehmet Kahraman, explained the features of the rocket that reached 200 kilometers.
DeltaV company, affiliated with the Defense Industries Presidency, launched a rocket into space with its developed Hipersonic Test Platform, HİSTEP.
During the test, the platform reached a speed five times above the speed of sound.
Kahraman explained the significance of the achievement to Turkish media outlet NTV, emphasizing the platform's capabilities for hypersonic speed development.
"With this system, we have actually provided the opportunity to develop a system that enables movement at hypersonic speed regime, that is, 5 times the speed of sound and above," Kahraman said.
"When we look at it, hypersonic technologies are critical and game-changing, but developing these technologies is equally difficult, so we aim to make a cost-effective, sustainable and non-hazardous, that is, non-explosive test platform for both our country and our friends and allies," he added.
1 min read
For the first time in Türkiye, a hot stage separation method was successfully applied in a rocket system.
"We actually made a 2-stage rocket here. After the first stage brought it to a certain altitude and speed, the second stage actually fires by making a hot separation on top of it (hot separation: you fire the second stage on top of the first) and it separated in this way and continued to accelerate and reached hypersonic speeds. After a certain altitude, it continued to rise upward and after the peak altitude, it returned to earth again," Kahraman said.
Following the altitude achievement, DeltaV said: "In this process where we develop technologies that will provide independent access to space with domestic and national capabilities, we sincerely thank all our stakeholders, especially our Defense Industries Presidency, who have been with us at every step. This success is an important step taken in line with the goals of our National Space Program and is also a sign of our determination to develop our capabilities in the field of space technologies."
Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir praised the accomplishment, stating that "DeltaV Space, which developed the hybrid rocket motor for our Moon Mission, has achieved another historic success."
Presidency of Defense Industries head Haluk Gorgun stated, "The altitude reached by DeltaV's domestic and national hybrid rocket system is not just a technical threshold, but an open declaration of a vision born from these lands, a belief transformed into an independent space walk."
The National Space Program announced in February 2021 is a comprehensive study prepared considering global developments and existing potential in Türkiye for determining the country's vision, strategy, targets and projects in space policies.
The Moon Mission, led by the Türkiye Space Agency, consists of two phases.
In the first phase, the AYAP-1 Program will be launched in near-Earth orbit through international cooperation with the national and original hybrid propulsion system developed by DeltaV. The moon will be reached, and a hard landing will be performed. AYAP-1 is planned to be completed in 2026.
In the AYAP-2 Program, the spacecraft to be developed will reach near orbit and the first launch will be made with national rockets, then a soft landing will be performed on the moon.
The hybrid propulsion system will be the first hybrid rocket system used in orbital operations on Earth. The Hybrid Propulsion System can also be used in orbital missions, offering cost-effectiveness and security advantages over liquid-fueled orbital transfer vehicles.
The test represents an important step in developing domestic and national launch systems within the scope of Türkiye's space journey.
2 min read
