Photos: SpaceX Rocket to Launch 1st Satellite for Turkmenistan
SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Rises into the Sky, April 27, 2015
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket rises into the skies above Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on April 27, 2015, carrying the first-ever satellite for the Central Asian nation of Turkmenistan.
SpaceX Launches Turkmenistan's First Satellite
This screenshot from a webcast shows SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket blasting off on April 27, 2015, carrying the first-ever satellite for the Central Asian nation of Turkmenistan.
SpaceX Falcon 9 Rolls to Pad for Thales Mission
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the TurkmenAlem52E/MonacoSAT satellite into orbit for Turkmenistan and Thales Alenia Space on April 27, 2015. See the mission's ramp up in photos in our photo gallery here.
TurkmenAlem52E/MonacoSAT in Orbit
An artist's illustration depicts the TurkmenAlem52E/MonacoSAT, that will allow Turkmenistan to operate its first national satellite telecommunications system.
TurkmenAlem52E/MonacoSAT Arrives in Cape Canaveral, Florida
The TurkmenAlem52E/MonacoSAT telecommunications satellite traveled from Thales Alenia Space's Cannes plant on February 23, 2015, arriving at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on February 26. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the satellite in April 2015.
Thales Alenia Space as Prime Contractor
Thales Alenia Space led the satellite design and manufacture of TurkmenAlem52E/MonacoSAT as the prime contractor of the contract. The company also managed the manufacture of ground support equipment for the two satellite control stations, all associated services, provision of launch services and insurance.
Thales Alenia Space Ahead of Schedule
Thales Alenia Space produced the first Turkmenistan telecom satellite and got it ready to ship in just 27 months, more than four months ahead of the contractual deadline.
Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!
SpaceX Thales Mission Patch
SpaceX plans to launch a satellite for Thales Alenia Space on April 27, 2015, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The official patch is seen here.
Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

Tariq is the award-winning Editor-in-Chief of Space.com and joined the team in 2001. He covers human spaceflight, as well as skywatching and entertainment. He became Space.com's Editor-in-Chief in 2019. Before joining Space.com, Tariq was a staff reporter for The Los Angeles Times covering education and city beats in La Habra, Fullerton and Huntington Beach. He's a recipient of the 2022 Harry Kolcum Award for excellence in space reporting and the 2025 Space Pioneer Award from the National Space Society. He is an Eagle Scout and Space Camp alum with journalism degrees from the USC and NYU. You can find Tariq at Space.com and as the co-host to the This Week In Space podcast on the TWiT network. To see his latest project, you can follow Tariq on Twitter @tariqjmalik.