KONYA IS GOING INTO SPACE
MAYOR ALTAY: “WE ARE DOING A WORK THAT WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS THE FIRST MUNICIPALITY TO BUILD ITS OWN SATELLITE”
The “Cube Satellite” project, which is the first of its kind in Türkiye, is being implemented through the cooperation of Konya Metropolitan Municipality and Necmettin Erbakan University. Konya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Uğur İbrahim Altay said, “At a time when other cities are dealing with basic municipal services, as Konya Metropolitan Municipality we are talking about building a satellite, launching it, and using this technology. Thanks to this satellite, we will make our city much smarter and begin a process in which our municipal applications will be much more economical, faster, and where we have control over the data. Hopefully, these signatures will set an example for other cities and universities. As the first municipality to build its own satellite, we are doing a work that will go down in history in Türkiye.”
With the protocol signed between Konya Metropolitan Municipality and Necmettin Erbakan University (NEÜ), the Cube Satellite Project, which will be built with domestic and national resources, will be implemented.
Konya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Uğur İbrahim Altay stated that they have made an important beginning in terms of the history of municipalism and said that they have taken the first steps in building a satellite together with Necmettin Erbakan University.
“HOPEFULLY THESE SIGNATURES WILL SET AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHER CITIES AND UNIVERSITIES”
Emphasizing that at a time when other cities are dealing with basic municipal services, Konya Metropolitan Municipality is talking about building, launching, and using a satellite, Mayor Altay said, “Hopefully these signatures will set an example for other cities and universities. The students trained at our university will accomplish very important work in Türkiye’s journey into space. Thanks to this satellite developed by them, we will make our city much smarter and begin a process in which our municipal applications will be much more economical, faster, and where we have control over the data. In fact, there are many satellites in the world. We also pay significant costs to obtain information from these satellites. Now, hopefully with this first step, we will also get rid of this cost.”
THE FIRST MUNICIPALITY TO BUILD ITS OWN SATELLITE
Mayor Altay said, “As the first municipality to build its own satellite, we are doing a work that will go down in history in Türkiye. As Konya Metropolitan Municipality, we attach great importance to inter-institutional cooperation. One of our most important partners in this regard is our Necmettin Erbakan University. We are working together in many areas. Hopefully, this will be a beneficial beginning in the field of technology and space. I would like to thank our Rector for his support so far. I also thank our esteemed academics.”
“WE ARE MAKING AN IMPORTANT START IN SMART CITY APPLICATIONS”
Mayor Altay reminded that Konya Metropolitan Municipality has always been an example in smart city applications in Türkiye, saying, “In the Smart City Index studies conducted by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, our Metropolitan Municipality has ranked first in smart city applications for the last 4 years. We have received awards in South Korea and Barcelona. We have received awards from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure. Today, together with Necmettin Erbakan University, we are making an important start in smart city applications.”
“OUR STUDENTS WILL BE TRAINED AS PART OF A REAL PROJECT”
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Keser, Head of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics Engineering at NEÜ Faculty of Aviation and Space Sciences, also emphasized the importance of the project for students, stating, “In this work, our students will be trained not through hypothetical studies or experimental work conducted in laboratories, but as part of a real project. It is planned to place our satellite into a polar orbit at low Earth altitude.”
“CUBE SATELLITE” PROJECT
With the satellite project to be implemented within the scope of the protocol between Konya Metropolitan Municipality and NEÜ, it is aimed to use the data obtained from the cameras and sensors to be integrated into the satellite in municipal projects and services. In addition, with the project, which includes design, production, integration, and testing processes, it is aimed to establish an infrastructure and contribute directly and indirectly to educational activities in order to develop an R&D culture in this field.
