EditTurkey to build spaceport in Somalia as Erdoğan pushes for Moon mission
A spacecraft which has more than 80% domestic components is undergoing testing and is targeted for launch in the first months of 2027
Turkey and Somalia have signed an agreement under which Turkey will build a spaceport in Somalia, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Monday.
Erdoğan made the announcement at the opening of an international space congress in Antalya attended by scientists and representatives from 111 countries. His speech was broadcast live on his official social media accounts.
“Today, being in space requires not only producing satellites but also reaching space. For this reason, we have given a special place in our National Space Programme to the goal of reaching space and building facilities for launching, guiding and landing spacecraft,” Erdoğan said.
“Taking into account Turkey’s geographical position, together with friendly and brotherly Somalia, we are laying the foundations for historic cooperation in the field of space. We have started work on the construction of a spaceport that we will build in Somalia,” he added.
According to Erdoğan, the project will also contribute to bringing Africa into international cooperation in space science.
Turkey’s National Space Programme, unveiled in 2021 with a 10-year vision, includes a series of objectives ranging from reaching the Moon and developing a globally competitive commercial satellite brand to establishing a regional positioning and timing system.
The programme also aims to secure independent access to space and establish a spaceport, improve astronomical observation and the tracking of space objects, and develop a domestic space industry and technology development zone. A crewed space mission is also among its objectives.
Erdoğan’s speech also focused on Turkey’s preparations for a mission to the Moon. The Turkish president said work on the development, assembly and integration of the systems for a Turkish lunar rover had already been completed.
“We are proud that more than 80% of the components of the lunar rover are domestically produced,” Erdoğan said.
Ankara’s drive for independent access to space
Turkey already launched its first domestically developed communications satellite, Türksat 6A, in 2024, strengthening Ankara’s capabilities in satellite manufacturing and integration. Turkey also sent its first astronaut, Alper Gezeravcı, to the International Space Station in January 2024.
The next major milestone is Turkey’s first deep-space mission. The Turkish Space Agency and TÜBİTAK UZAY completed the manufacturing, assembly and integration of the country’s first lunar spacecraft in September 2026.
The spacecraft, which has more than 80% domestic components and weighs around 3.5 tonnes, is undergoing environmental testing and is targeted for launch in the first months of 2027. The mission is designed to reach a lunar orbit and conduct scientific measurements before a planned controlled impact on the Moon.
Why Somalia?
The choice of Somalia is primarily linked to geography. Much of the country lies relatively close to the Equator, which gives launch vehicles a natural boost from the Earth’s rotation. Launching eastwards from a low-latitude location can therefore increase payload capacity or reduce the amount of fuel required to reach orbit.
Turkey has also pointed to Somalia’s long coastline on the Indian Ocean as an advantage, allowing launches to be conducted over open water rather than densely populated land areas.
Turkish officials and experts have additionally cited favourable weather conditions and relatively low air and maritime traffic around the proposed launch area as factors that could make launches safer and easier to schedule.
The spaceport project is the latest element of a much broader Turkish-Somali partnership that has developed over the past 15 years.
Erdoğan’s visit to Mogadishu in August 2011, at the height of Somalia’s humanitarian crisis, marked a turning point in bilateral relations. What initially focused heavily on humanitarian assistance and development has expanded into infrastructure, healthcare, education, trade, energy and security cooperation.
Turkish assistance to Somalia since 2011 has exceeded $1 billion, according to Anadolu Agency, while Turkey has also established one of its largest overseas diplomatic and military footprints in the country.
Turkey opened the TURKSOM military training facility in Mogadishu in 2017. It has since trained Somali security personnel as part of Ankara’s support for the country’s efforts to strengthen its armed forces and fight the Islamist militant group al-Shabaab. Turkey’s involvement also extends to maritime security and energy.
In February 2024, Turkey and Somalia signed a defence and economic cooperation framework agreement covering maritime security. The agreement was followed by an energy deal under which Turkish vessels carried out seismic exploration off Somalia. T
Turkey subsequently announced plans for offshore drilling, with its drilling vessel Çağrı Bey beginning operations off the Somali coast in 2026.
Caption:President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech at the 77th International Astronautical Congress in Antalya [Website of the President of Turkey]
Sources: Anadolu Agency, BTA, Euronews Turkey
Updated: October 6, 2026 - 05:28
