Turkey's efforts in the satellite space race have experienced turbulence over the years, but they got a boost with the recent launch of its Gokturk-1 satellite, which will meet the country’s civilian and military intelligence needs around the world.
Gokturk-1 launched Dec. 5 from French Guiana as a Turkish air force project and has become the country's second active military satellite and fifth overall. The Gokturk-2 military satellite launched in 2012.