Turkey plans moon mission in 2023

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey is entering the space race 

Credit:  Turkish Presidency/Turkish Presidency via AP, Pool

Turkey plans to make “a first contact with the moon” in 2023 as part of an ambitious space programme announced by the country’s president aimed at enhancing its global standing. 

The planned date for the mission will mark the centennial founding of the Turkish republic, while other goals announced include sending Turkish astronauts into space and developing internationally viable satellite systems.

“Our primary and most important goal for our national space programme is the contact of the Republic, in its 100th year, with the moon,” the Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president, said. “God willing, we are going to the moon.”

Speaking during a live televised inauguration of Turkey’s National Space Programme and the Turkey Space Agency on Tuesday, President Erdogan said Turkey would initially rely on “international cooperation” before developing its own rockets.

“I hope that this roadmap, which will carry Turkey to the top league in the global space race, will come to life successfully,” he said.

Turkey established the Turkish Space Agency in 2018 with the aim of joining other states eager to boost their national pride with ventures into the final frontier. 

On Tuesday, the United Arab Emirates proudly announced that its Hope probe had successfully entered Mars’ orbit. Similar to Turkey’s planned mission, the UAE venture marked the 50th anniversary of the unification of the UAE’s seven emirates.

Responding to critics who questioned the value of spending millions on space exploration at a time when Turkey’s economy is performing poorly, Turkey’s industry and technology minister said the space programme will make Turkey an important player in the “space economy”.

This in turn will enhance Turkey’s “value-added economy”, minister Mustafa Varank said Wednesday. Supporters of the programme believe it will provide jobs for scientists, reducing a brain drain from the country. 

Last month Mr Erdogan spoke with Elon Musk, the CEO of space exploration company SpaceX, to discuss potential cooperation on space technologies.