Aselsan says it expects to fulfil a Turkish government programme for 198 broadband satellites — the Astralink constellation — by the early 2030s, with a first test satellite scheduled for launch in 2028. The Turkish electronics group generated $4.2 billion (€3.7 billion) in revenue last year, of which roughly $200 million came from space-related activity.

CEO Ahmet Akyol set out the plan in an interview tied to the 77th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), reported by Space Intel Report. He said Aselsan aims to double or even triple its 2025 space revenue, turning a defensive electronics house into a significant satellite manufacturer.

What is Astralink?

Astralink is a Turkish government programme for a 198-satellite constellation intended for broadband use. Aselsan is investing in research and development for the space-related elements and expects to deliver the full system by the early 2030s. For a country that has so far relied on a handful of geostationary Turksat spacecraft, a 198-satellite fleet in low orbit would represent a step change in national communications infrastructure.

The first test satellite is due to launch in 2028. "From 2029 onwards, we plan to accelerate deployment through successive phases, initially with technology demonstration and test satellites, followed by the ramp-up of serial production satellites," Akyol said. "This phased approach will allow us to validate key technologies, mature the system architecture and progressively expand the constellation."

That schedule puts Astralink well behind established mega-constellation operators, but it follows the same industrial logic: prove the technology with demonstration craft, then shift to serial production once the architecture is proven.

How strong is the financial base?

Aselsan's order book gives the plan credibility. At the half-year stage on June 30th, its backlog stood at $23.2 billion, up 45 per cent from the same period a year earlier. That backlog is more than five times annual revenue, giving the company room to fund long-horizon space programmes alongside its core defence work.

Space activity currently accounts for less than 5 per cent of group revenue — about $200 million of the $4.2 billion earned last year. Akyol's stated ambition to double or triple that figure would lift space revenue to between $400 million and $600 million, still a modest share of the group but a meaningful satellite business by regional standards.

What else is Aselsan building in orbit?

The company is not starting from zero. Aselsan is building Turksat 7A and is participating in Turksat 5B alongside Airbus. Those projects give it hands-on experience with communications satellite construction and a working partnership with one of Europe's largest space primes.

The Turksat work also matters for Astralink's credibility. Moving from supplying components for a handful of geostationary satellites to mass-producing low-orbit broadband craft is a considerable leap — one that other late entrants to the mega-constellation market have found expensive and slow. Aselsan's phased approach, with technology demonstrations before serial production, is designed to manage exactly that risk.

Why does this matter beyond Turkey?

A national broadband constellation would reduce Turkey's dependence on foreign satellite capacity and international operators for connectivity, a strategic priority that has grown as low-orbit systems reshape the global broadband market. It would also position Aselsan — already one of Turkey's largest defence electronics firms — as a competitor in a segment now dominated by a small number of players.

The regulatory and policy context is straightforward: Astralink is a government programme, and Aselsan is its chosen industrial champion. The company's expanding backlog and its Turksat pedigree supply the commercial foundation; the 198-satellite target supplies the political ambition.

Whether Aselsan can hit its 2028 test launch and its phase-by-phase ramp from 2029 will determine whether Turkey joins the small group of nations operating broadband mega-constellations by the early 2030s.