Turkish university to establish center of excellence for space studies

By Mert Davut and Basak Erkalan

ANKARA (AA) – Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University (AYBU) plans to make contributions to Türkiye’s National Space Program, by establishing a center of excellence focusing on space studies.

The recent steps taken in the defense and aerospace field have leveled up with Türkiye’s first crewed space journey, as Col. Alper Gezeravci was launched off to the International Space Station with the Ax-3 crew to conduct scientific experiments, leaving his mark on the history books as the first Turkish space traveler.

Under the National Space Program, the focus of the program will be on carrying out a new crewed journey, launching a lunar vehicle, and establishing a spaceport in the coming period.

For these projects, relevant ministries of Türkiye, the Turkish Space Agency, TUBITAK Space Technologies Research Institute, and universities are expected to put in their efforts and follow through.

- ⁠Center of excellence to be used for defense industry, space studies

AYBU aims to establish a National Aviation and Space Technologies Research and Application Center of Excellence to provide academic support in the defense, aviation, and space sciences fields, Veli Celik, the dean of the faculty of aeronautics and astronautics, told Anadolu.

Celik said the center will be established at the university’s Esenboga Campus, located in a town northeast of the Turkish capital Ankara, specifically in the Technology Development Zone.

He added: “We’re planning to use the center of excellence to carry out multidisciplinary studies by creating facilities that meet the standards, with focuses ranging from design to the certification of air and space vehicles, as well as developing pioneering technologies."

The center will also focus on "aerospace materials, components, and air and space vehicles, ranging from crewed to uncrewed aircraft, helicopters, and drones, and deal with "avionics, electronics and system integration, space systems, air traffic and flight planning, and digital research,” Celik noted.

- AYBU plans to contribute to National Space Program

Celik stressed that the functions of the center include conducting research and development, organizing training programs, supporting the commercialization of information and technologies developed, determining standards, and developing joint projects in cooperation with national and international stakeholders.

He said they aim to improve Türkiye’s competitive image in line with the recent breakthrough in the country’s aviation history with the first Turkish space traveler sent to space, adding: “We plan to contribute to the training of qualified workforce with the center, and pioneer the development of safety, quality, and compliance standards in the sector, ... to the advancement of our country’s space efforts.”

Academics from the faculties of aviation and space sciences, engineering and natural arts, and architecture and fine arts will also contribute to the making of the center of excellence, he noted.

* Writing by Emir Yildirim in Istanbul.