Türkiye's Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir said Sunday that 32 participants from 21 countries had adopted and endorsed the Antalya Declaration, marking the first time a declaration had been endorsed at the International Astronautical Congress’ (IAC) Ministers and Members of Parliament Meeting (MMoP).
“We are particularly pleased that 32 distinguished MMoP participants from 21 countries, consisting of ministers, parliamentarians and space agency heads, have accepted and endorsed this declaration,” Kacir said.
He said the declaration reaffirmed the International Astronautical Federation’s (IAF) vital role in advancing global cooperation and called on other countries and international organizations that have not yet joined to adopt and sign it.
The meeting brought together ministers, lawmakers, parliamentary delegations, heads of space agencies and senior officials from international organizations representing 38 countries.
Participants discussed strategic issues including the peaceful exploration and use of outer space, space missions, space law, the integration of developing countries into the global space ecosystem and the development of a sustainable space economy.
Türkiye is hosting the 75th International Astronautical Congress from Oct. 5-9 in Antalya. The annual congress is organized by the IAF under the coordination of Türkiye’s Ministry of Industry and Technology, with the Turkish Space Agency and SAHA Istanbul as co-hosts. Anadolu is the event’s global communications partner.
‘Progress in space is valuable when it serves people on Earth’
Speaking at the meeting, Kacir said participants took pride in adopting a declaration that for the first time in the history of the IAC MMoP brought ministers, lawmakers and space agency representatives together around a common commitment to peace, responsibility and cooperation in space.
The Antalya Declaration for Space for Peace was initiated by Türkiye, the host country of IAC 2026, in line with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s vision of advancing peace through dialogue and international cooperation, he said.
“The text was developed through close consultations with the IAF and our international partners. Our goal is to build a common international framework for a peaceful, sustainable and responsible approach to space,” he said.
Kacir said the declaration reflected the “Spirit of Antalya,” characterized by openness, mutual respect and constructive engagement.
He also emphasized the growing importance of space-based capabilities to everyday life, economic activity and disaster management.
“Progress in space is meaningful only when it produces tangible benefits for people on Earth,” he said. “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.”
‘The space ecosystem cannot advance without entrepreneurship’
Kacir said the global space sector was no longer driven solely by public funding, with private companies and startups increasingly becoming key drivers of growth.
“The global space economy reached a record $686 billion in 2025,” he said, adding that about four-fifths of that value came from commercial activities.
He said lower launch costs, smaller satellites and increased private-sector investment had lowered barriers to entry, allowing new players to enter a sector that had previously been dominated by a limited number of actors.
“However, innovation does not flourish on its own,” Kacir said, stressing the need for an ecosystem supported by public institutions, long-term financing and predictable regulations.
He said Türkiye had made entrepreneurship and innovation a central part of its technology policies.
“Our BİGG program is Türkiye’s largest public support mechanism for technology startups at the seed and pre-seed stages,” he said. “We have taken steps that will bring more than $750 million in additional resources to our venture capital ecosystem.”
More than 300 companies now operate in space technologies in Türkiye’s technoparks alone, he said, adding the government had also begun work to establish a dedicated space technopark in the capital Ankara.
Türkiye’s lunar mission
Kacir also briefed the delegations on Türkiye’s satellite development capabilities and planned deep-space projects.
“Our first lunar spacecraft, which we plan to launch at the beginning of 2027, will carry out its mission with a domestic production rate of more than 80% and a hybrid propulsion system developed by us,” he said.
The mission will serve as an international test of Türkiye’s engineering capabilities and its ability to turn its space ambitions into concrete results, he added.
