Production and assembly of Türkiye’s first indigenous lunar spacecraft have been completed. Weighing approximately 3.5 tons, the spacecraft was handed over to Turkish Aerospace Industries for environmental testing to assess its ability to withstand the demanding conditions of launch and the space environment.
Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır announced that the spacecraft is planned to launch from the Kennedy Space Center in early 2027. It is expected to take approximately two months for the spacecraft to reach the Moon’s polar orbit at an altitude of 100 kilometers.
Three-month mission in lunar orbit
The spacecraft will operate for three months after entering lunar orbit. The mission is expected to be extendable to up to one and a half years, depending on conditions.
During this period, domestic scientific instruments will study solar winds, water formation, magnetic fields and surface radiation. A domestic hybrid propulsion system will be used for orbit-raising maneuvers and controlled deceleration to enable the spacecraft to reach the lunar surface at the end of its primary scientific mission.
80% domestic production rate
The spacecraft’s critical flight, communications and power systems were developed using technologies created through the İMECE and Türksat 6A satellite projects. An 80% domestic production rate was targeted for the spacecraft.
Following the environmental tests, the spacecraft will be transferred to the new clean-room facility of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye’s Space Technologies Research Institute for final inspections. The tests will focus on verifying the spacecraft’s resilience to the conditions it will encounter during launch and in the space environment.
New projects in the space program
Kacır said Türkiye was working on the lunar mission as part of its goal of achieving full independence in critical technologies. The minister said that implementing the program would make Türkiye the ninth country to carry out a lunar mission.
Following Türkiye’s accession to the Artemis Accords, which promote global cooperation in the peaceful exploration of the Moon and deep space, development began on the Türksat 7A communications satellite. Design work is also continuing on the İMECE-2 and İMECE-3 Earth-observation satellite constellations.
Ankara is also building a spaceport in Somalia to secure independent access to space and reduce the need for foreign launch facilities. Türkiye’s Space Agency and Middle East Technical University are cooperating on the establishment of a space technology development zone in Ankara to transfer the technology base built up in the defense sector to the space field.
Antalya is planned to host the 77th International Astronautical Congress from October 5 to 9, 2026, to showcase Türkiye’s capabilities in space. Approximately 10,000 people are expected to attend the congress.
