[SatNews] Arianespace has announced a launch contract with Telespazio to launch the Göktürk-1 satellite for the Turkish goverment. Stéphane Israël, Chairman and CEO of Arianespace, and Luigi Pasquali, Chief Executive Officer of Telespazio, announced they have signed the launch contract for the Göktürk-1 satellite at the 50th International Paris Air Show. This is the ninth contract signed since the beginning of the year by Arianespace and the second commercial contract for Vega on the open market.

Telespazio is the prime contractor for the Göktürk-1 high-resolution observation system, while Thales Alenia Space is providing the space segment. Weighing 1100kg. at launch, the Göktürk-1 satellite will be launched by Arianespace's Vega light launcher into a Sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of about 700km. It will be launched from the Guiana Space Center, French Guiana, in 2015.

The Göktürk-1 system will provide very-high-quality panchromatic and multispectral products for a wide range of applications, including cadastral surveys, management of natural resources, environmental monitoring and homeland surveillance.