Erdogan unveils 10-year Turkey space programme

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan unveiled an ambitious 10-year space program for his country on Tuesday.  Erdogan announced the program during a live televised event laced with special effects. He said Turkey planned to establish a "first contact" with the moon in 2023, when the country marks the centennial of the founding of the Turkish republic. The first stage of the mission would be "through international cooperation," while the second stage would utilize Turkish rockets, Erdogan said.Erdogan also declared Turkey's aim to send Turkish citizens into space with international cooperation, to work with other countries on building a spaceport and to create a "global" brand in satellite technology. Turkey established the Turkish Space Agency, or TUA, in 2018.