Türkiye is preparing to send two small, self -driving spacecraft vehicles to the moon, as part of a Chinese exploratory mission that is expected to be launched in 2028.
This project is the result of cooperation led by the Middle East Technical University in Ankara, in partnership with the Chinese University of Zheyang and the Chinese “Star Vision” company specialized in space technology, and with the participation of the Chinese National Space Agency, with the aim of landing in the Southern Pole of the moon, and collecting accurate scientific data from its surface.
The Turkish vehicles will carry the Chinese probe “Zhang A-8”, as part of an ambitious scientific mission aimed at exploring lunar soil properties and harsh terrain.
If the mission succeeds, Turkey will become the sixth country in the world to land with a vehicle on the surface of the moon, and the first country to run two independent vehicles at the same time above its surface, in a historical precedent added to its escalating scientific and space record.
Smart robots
The two Turkish centers dedicated to the task of exploring the moon bears the name “Chery”, a name that symbolizes “smart explorer robots for difficult environments”. Although the weight of each vehicle does not exceed 5 kilograms, its design came specifically to withstand the harshest conditions on the moon, including acute temperature and high levels of radiation.
The two vehicles were provided with advanced artificial intelligence systems that enable them to move without the need for direct intervention from the ground, as they enjoy the ability to analyze the terrain and determine the appropriate path independently.
The tasks of the scientific vehicles are in the drawing of 3D maps detailed for the moon’s surface, measuring temperatures and radiation, in addition to collecting accurate data about the soil installation in the landing area.
This task is characterized by the integration of the work of the two vehicles, as they will communicate with each other continuously to coordinate movements and distribute roles, ensuring that natural obstacles on the surface of the moon and work effectively as one team. While one of them takes control of the road and explores the terrain, the other can carry out accurate scientific tasks in the appropriate location.
Among the most prominent aspects of innovation in this task, that the landing of the two vehicles on the surface of the moon will be in two phases and not at once, according to a deliberate time plan. It is expected that the first vehicle will be launched and the decline is carried out, then the second is launched the next day to document the decline in its partner by recording a high -resolution photographer.
For his part, Asaad Kyramman, a researcher in space affairs, told Al -Jazeera Net that what distinguishes two Cherry vehicles is not limited to their small size or dependence on artificial intelligence, but rather that they are designers of interactive action as a team that shares tasks on the moon, a method that is dependent for the first time in a lunar environment.
Qairman believes that this model constitutes a qualitative shift compared to the traditional tasks that are carried out with one vehicle, stressing that cooperation between two independent robots is able to coordinate and distribute roles enhances the flexibility and efficiency of the task, and reduces the risk of its failure in the event of a defect in one of the two vehicles.
Turkish -Chinese partnership
The lunar project carries a prominent international character, embodying a new phase of close cooperation between Türkiye and China in the field of space exploration.
Türkiye’s participation in the Chinese “Zhang A-8” mission came in the wake of Beijing’s announcement of opening the door for international partners to contribute to this ambitious future task, which aims to promote scientific and technical research on the moon.
Through the Middle East Technical University, Türkiye officially submitted a proposal to send mini spacecraft within the mission, which was welcomed by the Chinese Space Agency, which agreed to join the Turkish team as a partner in the project.
This participation is a precedent of its kind at the level of Turkish-Chinese cooperation in space, and at the same time constitutes a milestone in the history of scientific partnerships between the two sides.
In the context of this cooperation, the Chinese company “Star Vision”, which is the first private company in the country to participate in a national mission of this size, plays a pivotal role by providing Turkish vehicles with smart processing units and advanced electronic components that bear the harsh space conditions.
For its part, the Chinese University of Zheyang is responsible for designing engineering systems and automatic control, while the Middle East Technical University team focuses on developing self -navigation systems and micro -robotic units within the two vehicles.
In the context, Bushra Deniz, a researcher in satellite telecommunications affairs, told Al -Jazeera Net that Turkey’s involvement in a lunar mission led by China is a qualitative shift that exceeds the symbolic nature, as it enables Ankara to enter the space production course and actual participation in the design and test of advanced space systems.
She pointed out that China, unlike many Western agencies, provides a broader margin for the transfer of technology and practical experience to developing countries, and this gives Türkiye a real opportunity to acquire technologies that can be settled within its national programs.
In its opinion, this type of partnership re -draws the features of the World Space Club to include ascending countries, stressing that the success of the Turkish experience depends on turning it into an independent infrastructure capable of production, not just participation.
Turkish space ambitions
Türkiye’s participation in the mission of exploring the moon within the “Zhang A-8” project comes within the framework of a broader strategic vision adopted by Ankara to enhance its presence in the space field, by combining national initiatives and engaging in advanced international partnerships.
Since the establishment of the Turkish Space Agency in 2018, the state has set a goal represented in the transformation into a regional and global actor in the field of space exploration and associated technologies.
In 2021, Turkey launched the “National Space Program”, which included ambitious goals, foremost of which was the implementation of the first lunar mission by 2028. This task was scheduled to start with a harsh landing of an uninhabited vehicle on the moon in 2023, in preparation for a more accurate decline in a later stage. However, the schedule of the project underwent organizational and technical amendments, in light of developments in the Turkish space sector at the technical and diplomatic levels.
In a remarkable step last year, Türkiye made an official request to join the International Moral Research Station project, led by China and Russia. Thus, it becomes the first country to be affiliated with NATO to join this ambitious project, which reflects a qualitative shift in Ankara’s satellite policies towards diversifying partnerships and expanding the scope of cooperation outside the traditional circles.
