ILS’ Turksat 4B launch. Photo: Anadolu Agency/Turksat

[Via Satellite 10-19-2015] International Launch Services (ILS) completed the launch of Turksat’s latest satellite, Turksat 4B, on Oct. 16 using a Proton rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Turksat 4B separated from Proton’s Breeze M upper stage approximately 9 hours and 13 minutes after liftoff. The satellite will provide telecommunications and DTH broadcasting services to Turkey, Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

Mitsubishi Electric, manufacturer of Turksat 4B as well as Turksat 4A, will conduct in-orbit testing until December before handing over control to Turksat. The satellite is built on Mitsubishi Electric’s DS2000 satellite platform, and has an expected on-orbit maneuver lifespan of 30 years.

Turksat 4B weighed more than 4.9 metric tons at liftoff and is the ninth satellite built on Mitsubishi Electric’s DS2000 platform. The company anticipates building and launching seven more DS2000 satellites by 2017. For ILS, Turksat 4B was the second launch for both Turksat and Mitsubishi Electric, and the sixth Proton mission of 2015.