Türkiye signed the Artemis Agreements and participated in international cooperation in space research

While Turkey signed the Artemis Agreements, which envisage international cooperation in peaceful and transparent space research, Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır said, "Turkey is entering a new era with incredible goals and capabilities in the field of space travel."

Minister Kacır and Turkish Space Agency President Yusuf Kıraç attended the signing ceremony at the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) headquarters in Washington on behalf of Turkey, while the USA was represented by NASA Director Jared Isaacman and US Department of State Deputy Undersecretary for Space and Environment Connor Tomlinson.

Peaceful use of space

Minister Kacır, in his speech at the ceremony where Turkey's Washington Ambassador Sedat Önal and Turkish astronaut Alper Gezeravcı also attended, stated that Turkey was the 71st country to sign the Artemis Agreements. Kacır said, "Turkey is entering a new era with incredible goals and capabilities in the field of space travel. Our goal is to have sustainable visibility in space and to take steps towards the peaceful use of space for the benefit of all humanity."

A bold vision

NASA Director Isaacman also underlined that the ties between the two countries are strengthening.

"Today is an important turning point. Türkiye is putting forward a bold vision in this field," said Isaacman, adding that the USA and Turkey share "the vision of sending astronauts back to the surface of the Moon." A post about Turkey signing the Artemis Agreements was also shared on NASA's social media account. In the post, it was stated that Turkey joined other countries that have committed to the peaceful exploration of space and increasing prosperity in this field by signing the Artemis Agreements, and the phrase "Welcome to the Artemis Agreements, Turkey" was used.

'We are going to the Moon in 2027...'

Making a statement after the signing ceremony, Minister Kacır stated that Turkey's participation in the Artemis Agreements is only a link of the space breakthrough in recent years.

Kacır stated that they plan to send a spacecraft with a hybrid engine to the Moon in the first months of 2027 and said, "In this way, we will both collect data from the Moon orbit and take our place among the countries that have reached the Moon." Stating that Turkey has started the construction of a spaceport in Somalia, Kacır said that this spaceport will enable Turkey to take a stronger place in the space economy and enable it to take more independent steps in space studies.