Turkiye Aims for the Moon by 2026, Indigenous Spacecraft
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Alaina
- . November 9, 2023
- . Update: November 9, 2023 11:31 am
Turkiye is working towards launching its first spacecraft developed with the Lunar Research Program into space by 2026. This is part of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 10-year plan for Turkiye’s space program, achieve a successful moon landing.
This will also mark Turkiye’s centennial, making way for an independent moon landing in 2028. The first phase of the Lunar Research Program (AYAP-1) is designed to explore the moon from the orbit and establish initial contact with its surface.
AYAP-2, that is the second phase, will make way for a rover landing on the lunar surface through a soft landing technique. This would be Turkiye’s first moon and deep space missions.
Turkiye Developing its Own Spacecraft
In August 2023, Turkiye successfully tested its first domestically developed probe rocket from Igneada. It was developed by Roketsan. The President of Defense Industries Haluk Gorgun said the probe rocket was developed with their advanced engineering technologies. “We have crossed another very important threshold in our domestic and national rocket technologies. Thanks to our rocket technologies, which we have successfully launched, our space studies will gain great momentum.”
Turkiye is working on a spacecraft that is suitable for a lunar soft landing and can operate 400,000 kilometers from Earth. The Turkish Space Agency said the Hybrid Propulsion System developed with domestic facilities will gain space history. It will collect high-resolution images, scientific data related to the origin of water on the moon, mini-magnetosphere formations, surface components, and surface temperature.
Moreover, reflection maps and radiation from the lunar surface will be translated into information by Turkish scientists. The Turkish Space Agency said the spacecraft’s system-level design phase is completed and a detailed design phase is being carried out.
Serdar Huseyin Yildirim, president of the Turkish Space Agency, said in 2021 they intend to use their own engine to reach the moon. He added that for this there would be an international collaboration for the spacecraft to be brought to low Earth orbit.
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Turkiye Own Drone and Rocket Tech
Producing space technology may be a challenge but not impossible for Turkiye. The country is highly recognized for its defense hardware. It enjoys rapid success in domestically produced drone and rocket technology. Turkiye has also made significant contributions to military campaigns in Syria, Libya, Iraq and Nagorno-Karabakh.
Furthermore, Turkiye collaborated with SpaceX in 2021 to launch the next-generation Turksat 5A communications satellite, which is used for civilian and military purposes.
