On eve of 1st flight, Turkish technology minister lays out goals of National Space Program

By Enes Duran

For the first time, a Turkish citizen is embarking on space travel, said the Turkish technology minister on Thursday, also laying out more plans for Türkiye’s National Space Program.

“We are now starting crewed space exploration, which is a collective achievement of our country,” Mehmet Fatih Kacir said on X on Thursday, hours before the flight – after a one-day postponement – is set to launch.

He outlined many of the goals for Türkiye’s National Space Program, one of which is building a Turkish space station, saying: “We will boost our capability to travel to space with our domestic rocket systems, establish a space station of our own, and even make a lunar journey using indigenous spacecraft.”

“We also aim to produce indigenous satellite sets for positioning and timing,” he added.

When meeting Türkiye’s premier space traveler Col. Alper Gezeravci – who is due to launch overnight – Kacir said he told him: “When you arrive at the International Space Station, not only you, but also all of Türkiye’s hopes will be carried through the threshold to space, as we are entering a new chapter in space science.”

Kacir said Gezeravci will do 13 scientific experiments during his two-week stay at the station, ranging from experiments on microalgae life support units for space missions to the effects of microgravity on the human respiratory system.

He that the aim of the space science mission is to give Turkish scientists research that goes beyond existing work, to make new discoveries, to inspire youth and the rest of Turkish society, and to ensure that science, innovation, and technology grow to be embraced more.

He underlined that they are not backing away from the National Technology Initiative, since they have just begun a manned space travel project, and as Kacir said: “Be proud, Türkiye.”

- More Turkish rockets, satellites on the way

Kacir stressed the relationship between the country’s first crewed space travel and the many projects being carried out by Turkish rocket manufacturers such as Roketsan, DeltaV, and Tubitak Sage.

On the stage of space science Türkiye has reached, he said research in the area was quite limited until the 2000s.

“In the last 22 years, we have produced our domestic imaging satellites Rasat, Gokturk and Imece, and we are preparing to launch into space our first communication satellite, the Turksat 6A,” he said.

Stating that Türkiye gained the capacity to go to space via liquid-fueled and hybrid-fueled rocket technologies, Kacir added that new projects to be developed for space science and technologies will bring both strategic and economic benefits to the country.

*Writing by Emir Yildirim