Turksat 6A, Turkey’s first indigenously built communications satellite, was launched into orbit early on Tuesday. According to Ankara, this action would expand the nation’s satellite coverage and satisfy its needs for television transmission.

The satellite was launched into space from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, USA, using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

According to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s satellite production has entered a “new phase” with this launch.

“As Turkey, we produced more than 81% of the subsystems, satellite ground stations and software in the 6A project, which is of great importance for our country’s future in space, with national resources,” he said.

The initial signal from Turksat 6A was received 67 minutes after launch, as scheduled, according to Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu. He added that the satellite would increase Turkey’s coverage to 5 billion people.

He added that Turksat 6A would now enable Turkey to reach Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, India, and other countries. “We will have brought our own communications, our television broadcasts to a safer, better level,” he stated.

Turkey had already used SpaceX rockets to launch satellites in the past. Turksat 6A, according to Uraloglu, is the outcome of a ten-year domestic satellite production endeavor, making Turkey one of only eleven nations to have achieved this feat.