Türkiye completes production of first homegrown lunar spacecraft

ANKARA

(DHA Photo)

Türkiye has completed the production and assembly of its first lunar spacecraft, transferring the 3.5-metric-ton craft to Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAİ) for environmental testing, the industry and technology minister has said in a recent statement.

Mehmet Fatih Kacır said the craft is scheduled for launch from the Kennedy Space Center in early 2027 and will take around two months to reach a 100-kilometer polar orbit around the Moon.

The craft will operate in lunar orbit for three months, with the potential to extend its operation to a year and a half, during which solar winds, water formation, magnetic fields and surface radiation will be evaluated through homegrown scientific instruments.

Kacır stated these efforts have been made to realize “a fully independent Türkiye in critical technologies.”

The spacecraft includes critical flight, communications and power systems developed for the previous İmece and Türksat 6A satellite projects, boasting an 80 percent domestic production rate.

“The further tests will verify the spacecraft’s ability to withstand the harsh conditions it will encounter during launch and in the space environment,” he said. The craft will then be transferred to a new cleanroom facility for final inspections.

The craft will use a homegrown hybrid propulsion system for orbit-raising maneuvers and a final controlled deceleration burn to reach the lunar surface at the end of the primary scientific mission.

“Only eight countries have carried out lunar missions so far, and when we implement our program, Türkiye will become the ninth country,” the minister noted.

The developments follow the country’s recent accession to the Artemis Accords, signed to promote global cooperation in the peaceful exploration of the Moon and deep space.

Kacır stated that development of the Türksat 7A communications satellite has begun alongside the design phases of the İmece-2 and İmece-3 Earth observation satellite constellations.