With the signing of the Artemis Accords, which took place in Washington, Turkey implements the most important part of its ambitious space program
The Turkish Minister for Industry and Technology, Mehmet Fatih Kacırsigned a series of agreements in Washington that brings Turkey into the Artemis space program as the 71st nation. The NASA administrator was present at the event Jared IsaacmanUS Deputy Secretary of State for Space and Environment, Connor Tomlinsonand the president of the Turkish Space Agency Yusuf Kıraç. Ankara thus joins the international coalition of nations that share the same ideals and are committed to “peaceful and transparent” space exploration.
Turkey’s entry into the Artemis Accords
Isaacman said: «It is a privilege for me to welcome the Republic of Türkiye into the Artemis Accords; last year, the President Trump had tasked NASA with accelerating the return to the lunar surface, and establishing the first permanent human presence on another world, a lunar base, as well as laying the foundation for human exploration of Mars. NASA never undertakes these great undertakings alone. At the lunar base, we are applying the principles of international agreements and NASA has invited all signatories to participate in this endeavor, creating opportunities for nations to contribute important components, scientific payloads, technology demonstrations, satellites and other devices that bring capabilities to future missions of the program.
Turkey’s recent successes in human spaceflight underline the nation’s commitment to space exploration. The first Turkish astronaut was sent into space in 2024, Alper Gezervaciwhich had reached the International Space Station with the Axiom 3 mission, conducting scientific research alongside NASA astronauts. In the same year, a second Turkish astronaut, Tuva Ataseverflew with the Virgin Galactic 07 suborbital mission, conducting experiments and research involving physiology.
Turkey to “conquer” the Moon
Thus, Turkey will soon launch its first lunar mission called Ayap-1, joining the small but growing group of nations building and launching their own satellites to the Moon. This membership also coincides with the preparations to host the International Astronautical Congress in Antalya (a well-known Turkish location), scheduled for next October. Dozens of signatories of the Artemis agreements will participate to discuss the future of space exploration, defined as “peaceful and transparent”.
What are called the “Artemis Accords” are a series of agreements dating back to 2020, with which NASA and the State Department joined seven other founding nations in response to growing interest in lunar activities from governments and private companies. Through the constraints and possibilities offered by the protocol, they introduced the first set of practical principles aimed at improving safety and coordination among nations in lunar exploration, that of Mars and beyond, committing nations to: explore peacefully and transparently, then sharing discoveries; provide help to those in need; allow access to the scientific data collected, ensure that national activities do not interfere with those of others; preserve sites and artifacts of historical and scientific importance.
The intent was therefore to create the conditions for a true Golden Age of space exploration and innovation. Turkey inaugurated its own space research activity in the 1980s with the Space Technologies Research Institute (Tubitak-Uzay), which began its activity with the construction of satellites. With the creation of the Turkish Space Agency (TUA), which took place in December 2018, the nation officially entered the international space community and in 2021 launched the ten-year National Space Program (MUP).
