The 77th International Astronautical Congress opened in Antalya on Oct. 5, the first time Türkiye has hosted the annual gathering.
Ahead of the opening, 6,893 delegates and participants from 108 countries had registered for the event. The congress is being held at the NEST Congress Center in Belek under the theme “The World Needs More Space.”
Organized by the International Astronautical Federation, it is hosted by the Turkish Space Agency and SAHA Istanbul under the coordination of the Industry and Technology Ministry.
Speaking at the opening, Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır said Türkiye aimed to launch its domestically developed lunar spacecraft in the first months of 2027.
“We will conduct scientific research in lunar orbit and, God willing, reach the moon,” he said.
Kacır said Türkiye was one of 11 countries capable of producing communications satellites.
Work was underway on new communications and Earth observation satellites, alongside projects in low Earth orbit, he added.
He said a space technology park was being established in Ankara to support research and turn the National Space Program’s goals into lasting technological and industrial capabilities.
Türkiye was also building a spaceport in Somalia to secure independent access to space and provide services to other countries, Kacır said.
The congress includes an exhibition featuring space agencies and companies, including NASA, the European Space Agency, Japan’s JAXA, Airbus, Aselsan and Roketsan.
The event will conclude on Oct. 9 with a day open to the public.
