Speaking alongside Selçuk Bayraktar at the Public Day of the 77th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2026) in Antalya, Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır outlined Türkiye’s space goals.
"Türkiye is preparing to go to the Moon in the first months of 2027 with its own lunar spacecraft, achieved with 87% local content," Kacır said, adding that Türkiye would test its own hybrid rocket technology in deep space and conduct lunar landing rehearsals.

He said the Somalia Spaceport, where Türkiye will be able to launch its own rockets and meet growing global demand, will be a crucial step for fully independent access to space. The ŞİMŞEK-1 rocket developed with ROKETSAN will carry the 400-kilogram HÜRSAT satellite to a 550-kilometer orbit at the end of 2027, making Türkiye a country that launches its own satellite on its own rocket.
"Türkiye has achieved great successes in defense and aviation that the whole world follows closely. It will write a similar success story in space, led by the TEKNOFEST generation," he said.