A ccording to a number of studies, in recent years, global space spending has grown across the world. According to a report on state space programs published by «Euroconsult» analytics, total world expenditure in the field of space reached $70.9 billion in 2018 (pic. 1). 63% of the expenditure totaled $44,5 billion and was spent on civic and scientific programs. Expenditure grew in the USA, Asia, in the Middle East and Africa (due to the UAE’s investment).

There is also expenditure on the development of technologies in crew flights. The leading country USA totaled $40,9 billion in 2018, which makes 58% of the global expenditure in that field. China follows with $5,8 bil. then Russia with $4,2 bil. France followed closely with $3,1 bil., then Japan with $3,0 bil., Germany with $2,1 bil., India with $1,4 bil. and Italy with $1,1 bil. Analysts expect that the space spending will continue to grow and will reach $84,6 bil. by 2025. Most of the spending will be directed to the defense-military field, and there will be no sharp growth in the civic sector.

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Recently, Turkey also began investing in the space field. Turkey’s efforts apply to space technology (also technologies) development and to the creation of space infrastructures. Early in February this year, Erdogan also presented the “National Space Program”, within the framework of which Turkey expects to send its first rocket to the moon by 2023, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the republic. When speaking about the National Space Program, Turkish Minister of Industry and Technology Mustafa Varank, noted that the flight to the moon will be carried out in two stages, in 2023 and in 2028. Moreover, it is envisaged to make a hard landing on the moon in 2023, which will be implemented through international cooperation, and a soft landing in 2028.

Although the main purpose of the program is to send a rocket to the moon, however, according to the minister, it is aimed to bring Turkey into the league of the advanced countries in the field of space, increasing the development in space technology and market share. In addition, Turkey envisages to create infrastructure for launching space projects through the development of critical technologies, to train the necessary specialists in the field of space and to establish an industrial zone for the development of space technologies. These goals will be implemented by Turkish Space Agency (TUA).
The Turkish Space Agency was established in December 2018. It is a state body, subordinate to the Ministry of Science and Technology and is in charge of developing medium-term strategic plans, setting priorities, allocating resources and developing methods to achieve these goals. Currently, the agency is involved in a number of local and international projects, in particular:
Within the KORAH project, together with Istanbul Technical University and the State Airports Management General Directorate of Civil Aviation will create a map of the cosmic radiation.
The agency participates in the “eXTP” (The Enchanced X-Ray Timing and Polarimetry-eXTP) international satellite project. The eXTP international consortium includes the major institutions of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Universities, as well as the European Space Agency and major institutions. According to the official website of the agency, Turkey will finance the project and Turkish engineers will participate in the project.
The «UTAS-R» atomic clock project will be implemented jointly with the agency and TUBITAK National Metrology Institute (UME). The Institute developed and produced the first national Rubidium-based laboratory atomic clock, which is used for locating satellites. The atomic clock needs to meet the qualification stage for use in space, and will then be sent to space for testing.

Training specialists in the field of space science is one of the key issues in the implementation of the “National Space Program”. According to the head of the Turkey Space Agency, Huseyin Yildirim, Turkey will aim for more than 10 thousand specialists in the next 10 years, who will be trained in the country and recruited. As for the funding, according to official information the agency’s budget is $5,46 million, but with the additional funds provided by several other institutions within Turkey, the total reaches about $50 million. According to the head of the agency, the projects will have separate budgets apart from the agency’s budget.
In February, news surfaced that the moon-launched (hybrid) rocket will be produced by Turkey, the design and production of which will be carried out by the “Delta V Space Technologies Inc.” (founded in 2016) and located in Technopark Istanbul. It is envisaged that the unmanned spacecraft will be launched to the moon surface by this company. The technical standards of the rocket are not known yet.
Turkey also has made attempts to develop international relations in the field of space. In February, the head of the Turkish Space Agency visited Azerbaijan. During the meeting with AZERCOSMOS leadership in February, Turkish delegation discussed opportunities for cooperation within the Turkish National Space Program. During the meeting, TUA President Serdar Yildirim stated that they plan to develop cooperation in the field of space with all Turkish speaking countries. This agreement was signed between the bodies responsible for Turkish and Kazakhstani space science in October 2020. Meetings with the representatives of Japan and Pakistan are also planned in the near future in anticipation of international cooperation.
According to Interfax, Roscosmos is also currently working on preparing a bilateral intergovernmental framework document, for the further development in the field of space activities between Russia and Turkey. Roscosmos expects to receive from the Turkish side “concrete proposals for the development of joint space projects, including the training of space flight participants”. Moreover, the Turkish side stated that they are working with Russia on the agreement and will probably sign a bilateral clause soon. The head of the Turkey Space Agency also stated that they are working towards a Kazakhstani-Russian-Turkey tripartite cooperation for the use of Baikonur Space Base.
In general, the “National Space Program” presented by Erdogan wasn’t explicitly accepted by different sections of the Turkish republic's authorities in and outside government spheres . Particularly, after informing the public about Turkey’s Space Program, it was severely criticized by the opposition and some representatives of the scientific community and some media outlets.
The oppositional CHP Deputy Chairman Ahmet Akin criticized Erdogan, noting that without technical infrastructure and a sufficient budget, the government’s initiative intends to use the Turkish Space Agency for internal politics, rather than for space goals and studies. Ihsan Çaralan, an analyst at Evrensel notes that Erdogan’s dreams on space are empty goals and that the “space debate” on the agenda is just an “escape from space” with the aim of diverting the public from the existing priority issues in the country.