Türkiye to Host 77th International Astronautical Congress

(MENAFN) The 77th edition of the International Astronautical Congress (IAC), regarded as the leading global space gathering, will convene more than 10,000 professionals in Türkiye next year, marking what officials describe as a pivotal moment in the nation’s space ambitions.

Yusuf Kirac, chair of the Turkish Space Agency (TUA), told a news agency that Türkiye has made notable strides in line with its national space program unveiled in 2021.

“It is significantly important for a country to have strategic independent access to space, which is why we’re building a spaceport in a third country, which we hope to have made ready in the first months of 2027,” he said. “The first phase will be completed in about a year and a half, and we want to make it to a global launch center, such as Cape Canaveral.”

Kirac confirmed that the congress will take place October 5–9, 2026, in Antalya, located in southwestern Türkiye.

“We expect over 10,000 participants and around 50 astronauts at the event, which has been held every year without interruption for 77 years — the IAC has some 604 members, including space agencies like NASA and private companies,” he noted.

He encouraged academics and young people to take part, highlighting the opportunity to publish research and connect with leaders of major companies attending the congress.

“At the event, the world will gather in Türkiye to discuss space,” Kirac said. “We are trying to achieve the same that we started in the defense industry, where Türkiye’s progress in the last 20 years has been incredible — to be strong in space is to be strong in future wars, which is why we focused on this both in the civilian and military sense, as we would like to see the success of our defense industry replicated in the space sector in 10–15 years.”

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