Türkiye, Italy Eye Joint Moon-Era Missions Under 10-Year Space Pact

(MENAFN) Türkiye and Italy are pushing to turn a decade-long space framework into concrete joint missions, officials said at the 77th International Astronautical Congress in Antalya, southern Türkiye.

The session drew astronauts, diplomats and space agency representatives, who built on the two countries' shared flight aboard Axiom Mission 3 to the International Space Station in 2024.

Organized by the International Astronautical Federation, the congress is taking place at Antalya's NEST Congress Center under the coordination of Türkiye's Industry and Technology Ministry. The Turkish Space Agency (TUA) and SAHA Istanbul are hosts, and Anadolu is the event's global communications partner.

Italy's Ambassador to Ankara, Giuseppe Manzo, said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni took up space cooperation when they met at the NATO summit in the Turkish capital Ankara in July. He called the field a priority for both nations and said their longstanding ties offered a basis for partnerships reaching beyond national borders and into space.

Mario Cospito, special commissioner of the Italian Space Agency, said the two countries are shifting from dialogue to structured cooperation. He cited a 2025 memorandum of understanding between the two space agencies that sets a 10-year framework covering a broad range of space activities. Work is underway, he said, to convert that framework into a concrete joint mission, with projects under negotiation that involve shared technological goals, responsibilities and capabilities.

Türkiye eyes Moon launch in early 2027

Arif Karabeyoglu, a Turkish Space Agency board member, said Türkiye plans to send a domestically developed and built spacecraft to the Moon in the first months of 2027. The spacecraft is ready, he said, calling the mission one of the more demanding objectives in the country's 10-point space roadmap.

Another goal is establishing a Turkish spaceport, Karabeyoglu said, pointing to plans involving the African nation of Somalia and possible cooperation with Italy, which operates launch infrastructure off the coast of Kenya, Somalia's neighbor.

Türkiye's first astronaut, Brig. Gen. Alper Gezeravci, said sending a Turkish citizen into space changed what younger generations can imagine for their futures.

“This was not the realization of one person's dream, but the realization of a nation's dream. Our children are now much more confident about stepping into the future,” he said.

Gezeravci also praised Italian support in aviation.

“From the very beginning, we felt Italy's support very strongly and deeply,” he said.

Italian astronaut Walter Villadei, who flew with Gezeravci on Axiom Mission 3, stressed the importance of trust among crew members, noting that they trained together for 11 months. He said spaceflight is a collective effort and holds many opportunities for Italy and Türkiye to become strong partners.

After the session, Massimo Comparini, managing director of the space division at aerospace and defense company Leonardo, pointed to the rapid transformation of the space industry and the importance of space technologies and Earth observation capabilities for sustainability.

MENAFN07102026000045017169ID1111773117