Turkey unveils national space program

ANKARA, TURKEY - FEBRUARY 09: Turkey unveiled its national space program, a roadmap based on realistic and competitive goals, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday, Nov. 9."The national space program will carry our country to an upper league in the global space race," Erdogan stressed during the introductory meeting in the capital Ankara.Noting that the program was prepared and will be carried out by the Turkey Space Agency (TUA), Erdogan said Turkey is opening the door to the sky journey of its civilization that pioneered justice, morality, and peace in the world for centuries."The primary and most important mission of the program is to make the first contact with the Moon in our republic's centennial year [2023]," Erdogan said."Yes, we are hopefully reaching the moon. Within this program, we aim to reach the goal in two phases. In the first phase by the end of 2023, we will accomplish a hard landing on the moon via hybrid rocket developed domestically. This first launch of our space mission will be carried out with international cooperation. [...]""Then, in the second phase in 2028, our national rocket will be launched to the moon. When this second phase with a soft landing on the moon is also completed, we will be one of the few countries around the world that can conduct scientific activities on the moon," he noted.The country will gather satellite production activities under a single authority, he added.Under its national space program, Turkey aims to set up a regional positioning and timing system, Erdogan said, adding the country is also planning to establish a spaceport while ensuring access to space.Another goal of the program is to increase the country's competitiveness in space by investing in space weather, meteorology, Erdogan said.Turkey will boost its efficiency in astronomical observations and follow-up of space objects from the Earth, he noted. (Footage by Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)