From Mecca to the Moon: How Turkey is trying to become a player in space

From Mecca to the Moon: How Turkey is trying to become a player in space Submitted by Areeb Ullah on Fri, 10/30/2026 - 14:57 As Turkey prepares its 2027 mission to the Moon, Ankara is navigating global rivalries and tapping Somalia’s space heritage to achieve technological independence Mehmet Nefes looked with pride at the aerial photo of Mecca’s Grand Mosque on the wall. Wearing a black polo shirt and sporting light stubble, Nefes adjusted his glasses, then pointed to the picture to show how small pilgrims in the holy mosque looked from space. Nefes, who directs Tubitak Uzay, Turkey’s…