Türkiye, which collaborates with various countries in space research, is now working with the Swedish Institute of Space Physics for its Moon mission.
Prof Stas Barabash, Deputy Director of the Swedish Institute of Space Physics and Director of Solar System and Space Technology Programs said that they have been cooperating with TUBİTAK UZAY as part of Türkiye’s first Moon mission since July 2022.
Pointing out that humanity is stepping into a new era of intense lunar exploration, Barabash expressed his happiness about being part of this exciting journey alongside his Turkish colleagues.
“We will study interactions on the Moon’s surface”
Highlighting Türkiye’s ambitious space goals and roadmap, Barabash stated, “At this stage, we have developed a collaboration with Türkiye that benefits both countries as part of the Moon mission. Together, we will collect unique data from the lunar surface and conduct various scientific studies. The scientific mission we are working on uses an innovative technique to examine how the surrounding environment interacts with the Moon’s surface.”
He further explained that the research aims to answer fundamental questions about the formation of water on the Moon’s surface and the effects of local magnetic fields on the plasma around the Moon.
Barabash also mentioned that he attended the 3rd Lunar Science Working Group meeting held in Ankara this month, which allowed him to better observe the significant progress made in Türkiye’s Moon mission.
“A new generation of space enthusiasts is emerging in Türkiye”
Emphasising that the meeting was an exciting opportunity to witness the growth of Türkiye’s space exploration community and assess the country’s potential in this field, Barabash said:
“The enthusiasm and high level of professionalism of the team led by TUBİTAK UZAY have made this collaboration both productive and exciting.”
He also noted that a new generation of young people in Türkiye is showing strong interest in space and aviation, which is essential for the sustainability of space technology advancements.
“For this reason, we are inviting Turkish students who wish to work on Türkiye’s Moon project to pursue PhD studies in Sweden. We look forward to collaborating with them,” he concluded.