Posted: Wed, Mar 9, 2011, 6:53 AM ET (1153 GMT)
A Japanese satellite manufacturer has secured an order for two communications satellites for a Turkish operator. Turksat AS, the Turkish national satellite operator, will purchase the Turksat 4A and Turksat 4B satellites from Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (Melco), with in-orbit delivery scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2013 and first quarter of 2014, respectively. The two satellites, based on Melco's DS2000 bus, will provide C-, Ku-, and Ka-band communications services. The order was valued by the Turkish government at $571 million. The deal was reportedly enabled by plans for cooperation between the Japanese space agency JAXA and a planned Turkish space agency.

Related Links:

•  Space News article
•  Kyodo News article
•  Bloomberg News article
•  Melco press release