Four things to know about Turkey's upcoming space program

Turkey announced its own space program that will be in line with the policies charted out by the country's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to a new presidential decree.  

The Turkey Space Agency will be part of the country’s Ministry of Industry and Technology.

1. It will prepare strategic plans with short and long-term goals, which includes developing a competitive space and aviation industry, expanding the use of space and aviation technologies in line with the welfare of the society and national interests, developing scientific and technological infrastructures and human resources in space and aerospace technologies.

2. The Agency is authorised to decide on the use of rights under the national sovereignty and space coordination systems and the national sovereignty of spacecraft and space systems, except for the tasks carried out by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The agency will determine the procedures and principles for the management and use of these to fulfil the requirements of the national obligations.
3. The agency will pursue multilateral and bilateral cooperation with its international counterparts while protecting Turkey's rights at the United Nations.
4. Turkey eyes being top player in global space-tech. The country's minister of industry and technology Mustafa Varank said Turkey aims to be among top global players in space technologies with its vision of “indigenous technology and strong industry."

"Our dream of 20 years has come true {by the space agency}," Varank said during the Turkish Defense Industry Summit at presidential complex in the capital Ankara.

He said Turkey’s priority is to establish an indigenous defense industry.

"Our aim was not to become a subcontractor of international defense industry producers but to create a fully independent Turkish defense industry," he said.

Varank added: "We stand on our way with the same discipline and determination at every stage; from strategy to original design, infrastructure establishment to technology development, and final product to commercialization."

An innovative step in defense industries may serves as a locomotive in a number of sectors such as electronics, control systems, avionics, metallurgy, petrochemicals and software, the minister asserted.

"Technologies developed in defense industry also serves for civilian use and contributes to socio-economic development," Varank said.

Mentioning the effect of the defense industry on value-added production, Varank said it takes the country to higher levels rapidly in global competition.

"We mobilize all our opportunities for the projects that will bring technological superiority to our country," he said.