Fergani launches highest-power satellite with Turkish solar arrays

(SpaceEnergy) Türkiye's Fergani Space has placed its highest-power satellite to date into orbit, carrying domestically developed steerable solar panels and a battery pack for its next-generation communications and navigation spacecraft.

The 160 kg FRG-100D4 satellite launched aboard SpaceX's Bandwagon-5 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, on 20 October.

Manufacturer Baykar confirmed on 21 October that the spacecraft separated from the launch vehicle approximately 63 minutes after lift-off, reaching its intended orbit at an altitude of 590 km.

Fergani describes FRG-100D4 as having the greatest electricity generation capacity of any satellite it has developed.

The spacecraft incorporates steerable solar arrays and a battery pack manufactured within Fergani, alongside an internally developed reaction wheel, magnetic torque rod, magnetometer, inertial measurement unit and navigation receiver.

Additional equipment includes a regenerative modem, phased-array antenna and artificial intelligence-assisted computer.

The new spacecraft is intended to establish flight heritage for Turkish-developed subsystems and support the planned Uluğ Bey constellation, which Fergani aims to expand to more than 200 satellites within five years.

The company previously demonstrated a separate hybrid-propulsion orbital transfer vehicle, FGN-TUG-S01, launched in November 2025.

Baykar did not disclose FRG-100D4's rated solar-array output, battery capacity, measured electricity generation or completed in-orbit power-system commissioning.