Türkiye’s National Space Program (NSP) is a 10-year, state-level roadmap that unifies space policy, projects, and investments under one strategic umbrella. Its aims are clear: build scientific capability, indigenize critical technologies, and secure independent access to space while positioning Türkiye as an active producer in the global space economy. The program’s flagship pillars include a Moon mission, a regional positioning and timing system, a domestic satellite ecosystem, spaceport and launch capabilities, and a human-tended science mission (astronaut)—each with measurable milestones and institutional ownership.

The backbone: ten strategic goals

At its core, the NSP sets out ten mission-driven objectives: reaching the Moon and conducting science; deploying a regional positioning/timing infrastructure; advancing communications, Earth-observation, and deep-space satellites; maturing launch vehicles and propulsion; establishing a spaceport/launch range; developing space weather services; fostering industrial clusters; expanding technology development zones; updating space law and licensing; and scaling international partnerships and talent. The framework is designed for deliverables, dates, and accountability.

Moon Mission: Türkiye’s deep-space exam

The most visible pillar is the Moon mission. Phase one targets a hard landing, followed by a soft landing mission. The goals: flight-qualify national subsystems, prove hybrid propulsion and mission operations, and bring home scientific data—all stepping stones toward sustained deep-space capability.

Turkish Astronaut & Science Mission: Threshold crossed

With its first astronaut flight, Türkiye gained hands-on experience in crewed operations and microgravity research. Experiments in biotech, materials, and fluid dynamics generated high-value data while creating a role-model effect for youth and strengthening the domestic research pipeline.

Satellites: 6A and beyond

The NSP scales domestic satellite development, raising local content in payloads and subsystems and paving the way to series production. Priorities span high-throughput communications, high-resolution imaging, and low-latency services, backed by ground segments, data processing, and downstream applications for defense, agriculture, disaster management, urban planning, and logistics.

Regional Positioning & Timing (RPTS)

Recognizing that PNT data underpins national security and critical infrastructure, Türkkiye plans a regional-accuracy system to cut external dependencies. The payoff: sturdier power-grid sync, financial time-stamps, autonomous mobility, and resilient air/sea navigation.

Independent access to space

To join the global launch market, the program advances spaceport infrastructure and launch vehicles—with an emphasis on hybrid propulsion, system qualification, and mission-ready reliability. The objective is both strategic autonomy and exportable technology.

Ecosystem, regulation, and talent

The NSP promotes university–industry collaboration, tech parks, and clusters; modernizes space law, licensing, and spectrum/orbit policy; and scales scholarships, internships, and mentorship to grow a skilled workforce.

Bottom line: The National Space Program is a long-horizon, metrics-driven agenda uniting Moon exploration, astronaut science, domestic satellites, launch capability, and a business-friendly legal framework—so Türkiye competes as a maker in the space economy.