OtherAnkara, TR
Roketsan
Missile systems and ŞİMŞEK launch vehicles
- Founded
- 1988
- Team
- 5001+
Timeline 3 moments
Latest · Roketsan publishes further ŞİMŞEK-2 performance figures 27d agoAbout
Roketsan develops solid- and liquid-propellant rockets, guided missiles and space-launch systems. Core space products are the ŞİMŞEK family of liquid-fuelled orbital launchers and earlier sounding rockets that reached 126 km in 2017 and 136 km in 2020. ŞİMŞEK-1 is sized for 400 kg to ~550 km LEO; ŞİMŞEK-2 targets 1 500 kg to 700 km SSO. Both use turbopump-fed first and second stages plus a hypergolic kick stage.
The company was designated prime contractor for the Micro-Satellite Launch System in 2018 and for ŞİMŞEK-2 in 2025. In October 2026 it signed a contract with TUSAŞ to launch the HÜRSAT-2 satellite on ŞİMŞEK-1 around 2028–29. Earlier sounding-rocket flights and a dedicated Space Excellence Centre (opened 2020) supply propulsion, navigation and structural heritage. Primary customer is the Turkish Presidency of Defence Industries; export markets cover multiple continents.
Founded 14 June 1988 in Ankara by decision of the Defence Industries Executive Committee. Majority-owned by the Turkish Armed Forces Foundation. Headquarters and main production site are at Elmadağ, Ankara. Workforce exceeds 5 000, roughly 2 000 in R&D.
Timeline
- 50 FOMO
Roketsan publishes further ŞİMŞEK-2 performance figures
Additional technical details released for the ~40 m ŞİMŞEK-2 vehicle: 1 500 kg to >700 km SSO, two-stage liquid propulsion plus hypergolic kick stage, operational target early 2030s.
- 70 FOMO
Roketsan and TUSAŞ sign HÜRSAT-2 launch agreement for ŞİMŞEK-1
At IAC 2026 in Antalya, TUSAŞ and Roketsan signed the HÜRSAT-2 project contract. The satellite is planned to fly on ŞİMŞEK-1 in the 2028–29 window, linking Turkey’s domestic satellite family to its domestic launcher.
- 55 FOMO
Roketsan confirms ŞİMŞEK-1 and ŞİMŞEK-2 schedules unchanged
CEO Murat İkinci confirmed that both ŞİMŞEK-1 (400 kg to ~500–550 km) and ŞİMŞEK-2 (1.5 t to 700 km) remain on the published development timeline, with ŞİMŞEK-1 first test flight still targeted for 2027.
Signals
- 55 TÜBİTAK UZAY’dan GEZGİN hamlesi DefenceTurk
- 50 Roketsan Reveals Details on ŞİMŞEK-2 Launch Vehicle SSBülten
- 70 TUSAŞ and ROKETSAN Sign HÜRSAT-2 Satellite Agreement Quwa
- 55 Türkiye's Roketsan says ŞİMŞEK launch programs remain on schedule Milliyet
- 50 Türkiye'nin uydu ve uzay hedefleri için imzalar atıldı OYAK Yatırım / FNC News
- 45 GEZGİN-1 Uydu Geliştirme Projesi’ne yönelik iş birliğimiz resmiyet kazandı VisionX Technology Instagram
People
Hardware Fleet
Larger liquid-propellant vehicle (~40 m tall) sized for 1 500 kg to 700 km sun-synchronous orbit; contract awarded 2025, first flights planned early 2030s.
Two-stage liquid-propellant (RP-1/LOX) vehicle with hypergolic kick stage, designed to place 400 kg into 550 km LEO at 42.5–45° inclination; first test flight targeted for 2027.
Sounding rocket that reached 136 km altitude on 29 October 2020, demonstrating liquid-propellant technology and stage separation for the later orbital vehicles.
Live simulation
Interactive browser-native 3D flight telemetry for Roketsan's hardware.