Türkiye-led Antalya Declaration unites 21 countries on peaceful space cooperation

Delegates from 21 nations have endorsed the landmark Antalya Declaration during the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in southern Türkiye, Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir announced.The endorsement marks the first time a formal joint declaration has been adopted at the IAC's Ministers and Members of Parliament Meeting (MMoP).A total of 32 participants, comprising government ministers, lawmakers, and heads of national space agencies, accepted the text, which reaffirms the International Astronautical Federation's (IAF) role in expanding international space partnerships.The high-level session convened delegations representing 38 countries to debate the peaceful utilisation of outer space, emerging space missions, legal frameworks, and the integration of developing economies into the global space sector.Türkiye's 2027 lunar missionTürkiye is hosting the 75th edition of the congress from October 5 to 9, in Antalya, coordinated by the Ministry of Industry and Technology alongside co-hosts SAHA Istanbul and the Turkish Space Agency.Kacir explained that the Antalya Declaration reflects President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's diplomatic vision of advancing peace through multilateral dialogue and constructive engagement."Progress in space is meaningful only when it produces tangible benefits for people on Earth," Kacir told delegates."The question before us is not only how far we can advance technologically, but how effectively we can turn these capabilities into greater security, resilience and prosperity for our societies".Kacir highlighted the rapid commercialisation of the sector, noting that the global space economy reached a record $686 billion in 2025, with commercial ventures accounting for roughly 80 percent of total activity.Reduced launch expenses and smaller satellites have significantly lowered barriers to entry for startups.Domestically, more than 300 space-technology enterprises currently operate within Turkish technoparks, supported by the government's BiGG seed-funding mechanism and venture capital initiatives exceeding $750 million.Kacir confirmed that Ankara has also initiated work on a dedicated space technopark and remains on track to launch its first domestically developed lunar spacecraft in early 2027, featuring an indigenous hybrid propulsion engine and an 80 percent domestic production rate.