International Desk: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced Tuesday plans a mission to the Moon and the development of new satellite systems as part of its national space programme in 2023. He also announced the construction of a 'space port' in space.

In this context, Erdogan said, "By the end of 2023, we will send hybrid rockets through international cooperation." We are going to the moon if God wants. I hope that our efforts will be successful and that Turkey will be included in the list of countries leading in space research.

Earlier, Erdogan announced a programme with 10 strategic goals including sending a Turkish citizen to a scientific mission in space. However, in 2019, Roscosmos- Russia's space agency offered Ankara to send a Turkish astronaut to the International Space Station.

2023 will mark the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic. On this occasion, Erdogan wants to build a space port with other ally countries and will improve work on satellite technologies. He wants Turkey to become a leader in rocket technology.

The president said, “Our feet will be on earth but our eyes will be in space. Our roots will be on earth, our branches will be up in the sky,”

The Turkish Space Agency was established in 2018. At that time the financial condition of the country was deplorable. Erdogan has been criticized for forming the agency. But supporters of the project claimed it would benefit Turkish space researchers and shut down brain drains.

Sun News