Türkiye's Historic Space Leap: First Homegrown Orbital Transfer Vehicle Ignites Hybrid Engine in Orbit

Türkiye marked a groundbreaking moment in space exploration on November 28, 2025, when Fergani Space—led by Selçuk Bayraktar—launched the FGN-TUG-S01, the nation's first domestically developed orbital transfer vehicle (OTV). Blasted off from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 Transporter-15 at 18:44 GMT, the craft separated after 81 minutes and beamed back telemetry data right away. This low-cost tug can shuttle satellites from low Earth orbit (around 500 km) to higher altitudes over 1,000 km, extending their lifespans and paving the way for constellations.​

World-First Hybrid Engine Milestone

The real game-changer came on December 6, 2025, at 07:46 Türkiye time: FGN-TUG-S01 fired the globe's first hybrid rocket engine in orbit, running flawlessly for 35 seconds to shift orbits. Fully homegrown systems—like the flight computer, avionics, power units, and thermal controls—make Türkiye the pioneer in orbital hybrid propulsion testing. Bayraktar hailed it as "the start of Türkiye’s mobility in space," tying directly to the Uluğbey GPS project with over 100 satellites planned in five years for independent positioning and allied logistics.​

Fergani's rapid rise builds on prior wins, including a second satellite launch three weeks earlier and the 102-kg FGN-100-d1 in January 2025. This OTV mission cements Türkiye's spot among space powers, slashing reliance on foreign rideshares while eyeing future deep-space hauls.