A new phase has been reached in Türkiye’s Moon journey. While the production, assembly and integration activities of the Lunar Space Vehicle developed by TÜBİTAK UZAY were completed, the vehicle was taken to environmental tests, which is one of the most critical processes before launch. The spacecraft, weighing approximately 3.5 tons, is aimed to be launched in the first half of 2027. The vehicle, which is planned to reach the Moon with a journey that will take approximately two months after the launch, will not land directly on the surface. In the first phase, it will settle into a polar and circular mission orbit at an altitude of approximately 100 kilometers above the Moon’s surface.
WILL RESEARCH THE SURROUNDINGS OF THE MOON
The main scientific mission of Türkiye’s Lunar rover will be to examine the physical conditions around the Moon. According to the mission announced by the Turkish Space Agency and TÜBİTAK, the vehicle will perform scientific measurements in orbit before reaching the lunar surface. In this context, the interaction of solar winds, created by charged particles coming from the Sun, with the lunar surface will be investigated.. The vehicle will also examine the Moon’s local magnetic fields. The data obtained regarding the Moon’s magnetic environment will be used in studies to better understand the physical conditions on and around the satellite’s surface.
TRACES OF WATER WILL BE INVESTIGATED
One of the notable topics of the mission will be water research on the Moon. It will be investigated how water on the lunar surface is formed and by what processes it occurs.. For this purpose, measurements will be made around the Moon with the scientific mission payloads on the spacecraft. TÜBİTAK UZAY announced that the scientific data obtained within the scope of the mission will be made available to national and international scientists.
WILL MAKE RADIATION MEASUREMENT
Measuring the radiation environment will also be an important part of the mission, as the Moon largely lacks the protection provided by the atmosphere and magnetic field surrounding the Earth. Radiation Calorimeter and Radiation Dosimeter developed by Türkiye will serve on the spacecraft.. The vehicle will also carry two different scientific equipment: the Lunar Neutral Particle Telescope and the Narrow-Angle Lunar Radiometer. These devices will collect data about the radiation environment and surface conditions around the Moon.
IT WILL REMAIN IN MORAL ORBIT FOR THREE MONTHS
The mission duration of the lunar vehicle is planned to be at least three months. However, it was announced that this period could be extended to one and a half years, depending on task performance. B.The mission will not end after the scientific studies are completed.. Türkiye aims to deliver the spacecraft to the Moon surface with controlled maneuvers. At this stage, the hybrid propulsion system developed by Türkiye will be used. The system will be used both in the orbital maneuvers of the spacecraft to reach the Moon and in the final phase of the mission.
