UK-based satellite communication company Inmarsat and Turkish satellite operator TurkSat have signed a first partnership agreement for the Turksat 5B communications satellite, which is set to go skyward at the end of the year.

The deal announced Thursday was signed by Selman Demirel, Turksat Satellite Services deputy general manager, and Inmarsat Vice President of Satellite Operations Mark Dickinson at Satellite 2021, the world's largest satellite fair, held in Washington, DC.

Under the deal, Inmarsat Global Xpress services will be carried in Turkey over the Turksat 5B satellite.

Global Xpress operating in the Ka-band is the first and only high-speed mobile broadband network to seamlessly span the world, according to Immarsat.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Demirel said the agreement would be good global cooperation, noting that Turkstat will have the opportunity to create a joint global capacity with Inmarsat.

Dickinson also said the company wants to improve its relations with Turkstat, stressing the importance of Turkstat’s capacity to meet the needs of users in Turkey and the region.

"This is a really important step for Inmarsat to expand its Global Xpress Ka-band network," he said.

With the announcement of Turkey’s national space program this February, the implementation of programs for the creation of satellites for various purposes has accelerated.

As of this January, the number of active Turkish satellites in Earth orbit had reached seven, a number made possible thanks to the successful launch of the fifth-generation telecommunications satellite Turksat 5A./agencies