A critical milestone has been passed in the Lunar Research Programme, Türkiye's first deep space mission. Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır announced that the spacecraft, whose production, assembly and integration activities have been completed ahead of its journey to the Moon, has been dispatched to the Space Systems Integration and Test Centre (USET) at TUSAŞ for system-level environmental testing. Minister Kacır stated that the vehicle is targeted for launch into space in the first months of 2027, emphasising that Türkiye aims to become the 9th country to carry out a lunar mission.
3.5-Tonne Spacecraft with Over 80 Per Cent Domestic Content
Speaking at the Lunar Research Programme Press Conference, Minister Kacır shared comprehensive information regarding the spacecraft's technical specifications. He announced that the vehicle, weighing approximately 3.5 tonnes, has been produced with a domestic content rate exceeding 80 per cent, while all of its software has been developed entirely with domestic and national capabilities. The project has drawn on critical capabilities gained through the İMECE and TÜRKSAT 6A projects, including flight computers, communications, power, thermal control and orbital operations.
One of the most notable technological aspects of the mission is that the hybrid propulsion system, developed entirely with domestic capabilities, will be fired in deep space for the first time in world history. This represents a milestone that will demonstrate Türkiye's level of achievement in rocket engine technology on the international stage.
Mission Profile: Two-Month Journey, Orbit at 100-Kilometre Altitude
Minister Kacır also shared the mission's operational timeline. He stated that after launch, the spacecraft will first travel in an elliptical orbit around Earth, before being transferred to a lunar transfer orbit through subsequent firings. Following a journey of approximately two months, the vehicle is expected to reach its polar and circular mission orbit at an altitude of 100 kilometres from the lunar surface.
The vehicle will conduct operations there for at least 3 months. It was stated that this period could be extended to as long as 1.5 years depending on mission performance. Upon completion of the mission, the spacecraft will perform a landing on the Moon.
Scientific Objectives of Türkiye's Lunar Mission: From Solar Winds to Water Formation
The scientific work to be conducted during the mission is also highly comprehensive. The interaction of solar winds with the lunar surface, the formation mechanisms of water on the lunar surface, the Moon's magnetic fields and the thermal properties of its surface will be studied. Measurements regarding the radiation environment on the Moon will also be carried out using indigenously developed scientific equipment.
Test Process and Launch Schedule
The roadmap the vehicle will follow in the coming period has also been clarified. Environmental tests lasting several months will be conducted at USET within TUSAŞ. These tests include thermal vacuum, structural testing and electromagnetic compatibility. Final checks will then be carried out at TÜBİTAK UZAY's new facility at METU, and the vehicle will be sent to the Kennedy Space Center for launch. If weather, range and orbital conditions are favourable, the launch will take place in the first months of 2027.
77 Per Cent Completion Level
It was announced that the programme, initiated in early 2022, has now reached a completion level of 77 per cent. TÜBİTAK UZAY and DeltaV, along with numerous domestic technology companies and ventures, have taken part in the development and production processes.
Minister Kacır also drew attention to the mission's international significance. Recalling that only 8 countries have carried out lunar missions to date, Kacır stated that if Türkiye successfully completes this mission, it will become one of 9 countries to have reached the Moon and will be the first Muslim country to carry out such a mission. He stated: "As a country bearing the crescent on its flag, the Turkish nation will, God willing, experience the pride of reaching the Moon in full measure."
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