Turkish space industry accelerates with homegrown propulsion systems

ISTANBUL

The Turkish space industry is gaining traction with homegrown propulsion systems for satellites developed by companies such as DeltaV Space Technologies, which offer such systems for a wide range of satellites.

Türkiye's achievements in the space sector continue with homegrown technologies ranging from satellites to orbital transfer vehicles, with propulsion systems playing a key role in bringing these technologies to reality.

Mehmet Kahraman, general manager of DeltaV, told Anadolu that the firm was established as a subsidiary of Türkiye’s Defense Industries Agency (SSB) in 2017 with the founding purpose of developing homegrown systems and subunits to boost the country’s independent access to space.

“We, as DeltaV, built probe rockets with a reach of over 100 kilometers (62.1 miles), and over time, we developed our capabilities to make products for the defense industry as well,” he said.

Kahraman stated that one of DeltaV’s most important projects is in the country’s lunar research program.

“We collaborated with the Turkish Space Agency and TUBITAK (Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Institution) Space to develop a spacecraft with a homegrown propulsion system,” he said. “We would like to make a hard landing on the Moon with this product, equipped with our completely original engineered propulsion system—the plan is to launch this craft in 2027.”

Kahraman noted that satellites also run on chemical propulsion systems to remain in orbit and calibrate their orientation with orbital corrections. “Until now, such systems were imported, but we developed domestic propulsion systems, which have already been in use for some time,” he said.

He mentioned that DeltaV propulsion systems have been offered to other Turkish firms like Fergani Space and the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI).

“Our journey in space began with hybrid technology, and now it is continuing with single-fuel propellants, making history in space,” he said. “We also started developing liquid-fueled engines that will be used in orbital transfers of satellites and large spacecraft.”

Kahraman emphasized that building homegrown liquid-fueled rocket engines is key to ensuring sovereignty in space for Türkiye.

He noted that DeltaV is one of the world’s leading firms in hybrid rocket technology.

“We developed a unique internal ballistic technology and scaled it up 220 times. We also developed one of the few large rocket engines in Türkiye to accelerate the first stage of the hypersonic test platform project—the system reached an altitude of over 200 kilometers (124.2 miles) and broke a world record,” he said. “Work is underway to transform the second stage of the test platform into a high-capability system.”

He added that DeltaV has made significant progress in hybrid engines and transformed these systems for use in the defense sector within the Goktan project.

The project attaches Aselsan’s Tolun ammunition to a rocket system to be fired—DeltaV developed the rocket system, the separation mechanism, and the canisters.

Kahraman stated that DeltaV’s ramjet propulsion system is currently being tested. The engine operates at supersonic speeds, “able to cruise like an airplane and shoot up to travel speeds at 2.5 to 3 times faster than the speed of sound,” emphasizing that the craft is difficult to detect and hit.

“We connected our ramjet-powered aircraft to our homegrown rocket engine and fired the system at around Mach 2.5, verifying its use in real conditions,” he said. “This test marked the first time a ramjet engine was launched by a ground-launch motor.”

“We will advance our ramjet propulsion system and build it in different scales,” he said.

Kahraman noted that ramjet engines are used in cruise missiles but also in sixth-generation fighter jets—while these craft run on turbojet engines, they need ramjet engines to boost their speed from subsonic to supersonic.

“We can use this technology in the defense sector for various cruise missiles and for aircraft capable of reaching supersonic speeds of Mach 2.5 and 3,” he added.