OMM Redaksiyası
Türkiye has completed production of its first lunar spacecraft. The 3.5-metric-ton spacecraft is being prepared for launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the United States, in early 2027.
According to Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır, the spacecraft is currently undergoing environmental testing at the facilities of Turkish Aerospace Industries. Engineers are testing its ability to withstand vibrations and loads during launch, as well as the harsh conditions of space.
In the next stage, the spacecraft will undergo final inspections in the clean room of TÜBİTAK Space, Türkiye’s national space research center. Officials have not yet announced the exact launch date.
The spacecraft is expected to travel to the Moon for about two months before entering a polar orbit 100 kilometers above the lunar surface. The scientific mission is planned to last three months, although operations could be extended for up to 18 months.
In orbit, its instruments will study the solar wind, magnetic fields, surface radiation and various processes linked to the formation of water. After the main phase of the mission, the spacecraft will attempt a controlled deceleration and landing toward the lunar surface using a hybrid propulsion system developed by Türkiye.
Kacır said about 80% of the spacecraft had been produced in Türkiye. It uses flight, communications and power systems developed for the İMECE Earth observation satellite and Türksat 6A, Türkiye’s first domestically developed communications satellite.
The Turkish official said the project reflected the country’s policy of increasing self-reliance in critical technologies. If the mission is successfully completed, Türkiye will become the ninth country to carry out a lunar mission.
Türkiye recently joined the US-led Artemis Accords, a nonbinding framework that sets out principles for the peaceful exploration of the Moon and deep space.
