Mehmet Nefes, head of TÜBİTAK UZAY, Turkey's state scientific research institute for space technologies, shared pride over an aerial photograph of the Mecca mosque taken with a camera developed and manufactured in Turkey. He showed how small the pilgrims look in the holy mosque when viewed from space.
Nefes told Middle East Eye that the photo was obtained using a space camera created in Turkey. He noted that the camera was placed on a satellite and used to photograph Mecca on the same day that an agreement on Mecca was signed between Turkey and Saudi Arabia. 'Our optical team is particularly proud of this photograph. We are developing our own capabilities and creating our own systems for our country.'
However, Turkey's ambitions extend further—the country is targeting flights to the Moon and possibly beyond. As part of a broader national space program aimed at building domestic experience, reducing dependence on foreign technologies, and establishing Turkey as a key player in space, the country is preparing its first lunar mission for 2027.
These grand plans were previously presented at the 77th International Astronautical Congress in Antalya, southern Turkey, this month. Ankara emphasized its intention to reach the Moon using technologies produced predominantly within the country. The second phase of the mission involves a soft landing and the deployment of a rover for surface exploration on the Moon. Both missions will be launched from Florida on a SpaceX rocket. If successful, Turkey will join a small and exclusive group of nations that have landed on the Moon.
Technological Sovereignty
Nevertheless, the path to 2027 involves complex engineering challenges and high goals. Over the last two decades, Turkey has actively developed its satellite industry, sent its first astronaut into space, and become a significant player in unmanned systems, transforming battlefields and geopolitics. However, creating a spacecraft capable of reaching the Moon requires the ability to withstand extreme temperature fluctuations, intense radiation belts, and deep space communication issues—realities that often stall emerging space programs.
Turkish officials, speaking to MEE both openly and unofficially, stressed that the goal is not just to reach the Moon but to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers and gain greater control over the systems necessary for space operations. Turkey is implementing a dual strategy: targeted international partnerships alongside aggressive localization of critical equipment such as avionics and radiation-hardened microchips.
For Ankara, the lunar probe is not just a scientific achievement; it is seen as a way to demonstrate Turkey's aspiration to establish its own technological sovereignty beyond Earth's atmosphere.
Steps to Deep Space
Deep space missions are not created overnight, and Nefes emphasizes that the road to this stage took nearly two decades for TÜBİTAK UZAY. This journey began in 2001 with the launch of the Bilsat satellite, an Earth observation satellite developed through international cooperation. This allowed engineers to create ground stations and cleanrooms while simultaneously developing components produced in Turkey, such as the Gezgin unit—an onboard image processing and compression subsystem developed in Turkey.
Ten years later, Turkish engineers built the country's first Earth observation satellite, Rasat, adding domestic onboard computers and transmitters. This achievement laid the foundation for the establishment of the Turkish Space Agency (TUA) in December 2018, tasked with coordinating Turkey's space vision.
Shortly thereafter, Turkey launched IMECE, its first high-resolution Earth observation satellite, in 2023. Its orbital insertion marked another step forward, as Turkey mastered Low Earth Orbit (LEO)—a region of space relatively close to the Earth's surface, at an altitude of 2000 km. The creation of the IMECE satellite demonstrated Turkey's growing capability to design and manufacture advanced space hardware domestically.
The next major milestone for Turkey came with the launch of Turksat 6A, its first communications satellite, which operates at a much higher altitude in geostationary orbit (GEO) at 35,786 km above the equator. GEO is widely used for telecommunications and broadcasting. Nefes noted: 'By moving step by step from LEO to GEO, we have mastered deep space communication, thermal protection, and autonomous flight software. Using our own propulsion systems and flight-tested subsystems, the lunar mission is simply the next natural step.'
Operating in GEO required Turkey to develop capabilities for handling space radiation, long-distance communication, and managing complex propulsion systems. These capabilities laid the groundwork for lunar exploration, but missions beyond Earth's orbit present additional difficulties.
Mehmet Fatih Kadir, Turkey's Minister of Industry and Technology, optimistically assesses Ankara's chances of reaching the Moon, believing that his country's achievements in the private and public sectors have prepared it for this next step. Kadir stated: 'Communication technologies, aviation, materials science, and propulsion systems are all interconnected, and over the last two decades, we have accumulated significant experience here and in space. Humanity's interest in the Moon is growing, and Turkey is joining these efforts.'
Navigation Between the US and China
Turkey demonstrated its intentions by signing the United States' Artemis Accords—an international framework led by the US designed to regulate civil space exploration, data sharing, and peaceful operations on and beyond the Moon. Currently, 77 countries participate in these accords, although China and Russia remain outside this US-led initiative.
Nevertheless, Ankara cautiously avoids tying its ambitions solely to Washington and has applied to join the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) project, led by China, aiming to become the first NATO country to join the alternative Chinese framework for lunar research. However, this balancing act has political implications.
Some signatories of the Artemis Accords from countries with significantly smaller space programs confided to MEE that adherence to these accords carries undeniable weight in Washington, especially when these programs involve competing powers. However, NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson refuted these claims, stating that the accords were created to promote peaceful, collaborative space exploration for all participating nations. He added that the accords provide a forum for smaller nations to discuss emerging issues such as space debris.
For nations seeking technology, investment, and expertise, space partnership can be as much a diplomatic solution as a scientific one. Turkey's approach is to maintain its options as competition in space intensifies. Yusuf Kırağ, head of the Turkish Space Agency (TUA), explains: 'We strive to maintain balance in our international relations. Our diplomatic approach is very important. Turkey is a member of the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization, which includes countries like China and Pakistan. We also participate in the International Astronautical Federation and the Artemis Accords.'
Peace in Space
However, Ankara's efforts to position itself as an independent player face a broader challenge: the same technologies that enable scientific research can also have military applications. Satellites are already an integral part of military communications, navigation, and surveillance. The war in Ukraine recently exposed the risks of relying on private satellite networks after Elon Musk's SpaceX Starlink imposed service restrictions, disrupting Ukrainian military operations.
But last month, governments grew even more concerned about the use of weapons in space after the United States publicly confirmed for the first time in its history the presence of space weapons in orbit. Erdoğan used his opening remarks at the IAC to become the first NATO leader to condemn the proliferation of weapons in space without naming the United States or other potential actors. Kadir explained: 'This is the first time a host country has initiated a joint declaration supported by many other countries in our initiative to ensure a peaceful space environment. The idea is that space must continue to be a platform for peace. It should not reflect the divisions and blocs existing on Earth.'
Unfortunately, to Ankara's disappointment, the IAC did not officially adopt the Antalya Declaration during the conference ministerial meeting.
Spaceport in Somalia
The need to reduce dependence on international partners prompted Ankara to launch an ambitious program to build a spaceport in Somalia. Although Somalia may seem an unconventional choice for aerospace infrastructure, the country has a space heritage that includes the use of the NASA Berbera airport as a landing site for its space shuttles between 1980 and 1991 before the start of the Somali civil war.
The construction of the port in Warshe, a coastal city 70 kilometers north of the capital Mogadishu, allows Turkey to utilize Somalia's location near the Earth's equator. Mehmet Nefes, director of TÜBİTAK UZAY, stated: 'For me, success lies in the journey and capacity building... This is not intended for a single mission.'
This location will allow Turkey to launch rockets or charge countries and companies for launches with significantly less fuel consumption and heavier payloads into orbit. The location in the Indian Ocean also allows rockets to fly safely over water instead of densely populated land. Turkey's plan to build a launch site in Somalia is similar to France's installation in the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana, which is also close to the Earth's equator, facilitating and lowering the cost of access to space.
Satellite images from DW News already show that Ankara has begun constructing the spaceport, with Turkey deploying F-16 fighters to protect its investments near Warshe. Yusuf Kırağ, president of the Turkish Space Agency (TUA), noted: 'If you want to launch a satellite today, you might have to wait two years to get a launch date from a provider like SpaceX. Therefore, independent access to space is vital for Turkey and many other countries.'
This project also serves as a tool of soft power in East Africa and coincides with ongoing instability in the country, as the federal government battles Al-Shabaab and deals with the consequences of Israel recognizing Somaliland in the north. Although Al-Shabaab remains active in the surrounding region, experts caution against viewing the security situation as a serious obstacle to the spaceport, arguing that protecting a specific high-value asset is far more achievable than ensuring regional security.
Faisal Ali, a researcher and journalist specializing in East Africa, points out that Warshe is located along a primarily government-controlled coastal corridor north of Mogadishu. Ali told MEE: 'Somali forces, with the support of international partners, have demonstrated the ability to hold strategically important assets despite Al-Shabaab's activity in the surrounding region.' The analyst warns, however, that Ankara's close identification with the current federal administration could expose it to involvement in Somalia's internal political conflicts, noting that this could 'become a vulnerability for its long-term projects if a less favorable government comes to power in Mogadishu.' Ali added: 'However, the lack of transparency regarding these agreements is concerning,' pointing to unresolved details concerning land distribution, airspace access, and how revenues and responsibilities will be shared. 'The Somali parliament has limited oversight capabilities... Projects of this scale require broader political legitimacy, otherwise their promise risks being overshadowed by political struggle.'
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