Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBITAK)’s Space Technologies Research Institute (UZAY) and Axiom Space signed an agreement in Paris for Türkiye's first manned space mission, according to a statement by the Industry and Technology Minister on Monday.

At the signing ceremony, Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır, ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Ankara Deputy Zeynep Yıldız, CEO of Axiom Space Michael Suffredini, Turkish Space Agency (TUA) President Serdar Hüseyin Yıldırım, TÜBITAK UZAY Institute Director Mesut Gökten and DeltaV Space General Manager Arif Karabeyoğlu were present.

Announcing the agreement on his social media account, Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank said: "We have signed a historic agreement for the first manned space mission to be carried out in the 100th anniversary of our Republic. We will cooperate with Axiom Space for the training and flight service of the Turkish space traveler whose selection process is ongoing."

Axiom Space will provide training and flight services to Türkiye as part of the country’s efforts to expand its space exploration capabilities and establish a national manned space program. The company will also enable the Turkish space traveler to conduct scientific research in a gravity-free environment.

The nomination process of the "Turkish Space Traveler Project," initiated within the scope of the National Space Program prepared by TUA, continues under the technical direction of TÜBITAK UZAY.

Experiment proposals from universities and research institutions for research to be carried out in a gravity-free environment in Earth orbit are currently being evaluated by a technical committee.

Axiom Space is known as the only full-service orbital mission provider in the commercial space industry to conduct end-to-end crewed missions. Axiom's range of services includes training and flying space travelers, access to training facilitators and instructors, equipment and safety certification, and operational management in orbit.

To prepare to live and work in space, aspiring space travelers must complete Axiom's monthslong training curriculum. Axiom Space, on the other hand, made agreements for manned missions with Italy, Hungary and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in addition to Türkiye at the congress in France.

Türkiye in May has started a search for a citizen that will be sent on a scientific mission in space, as part of the nation’s ambitious space program.

The Turkish astronaut should be ready by the end of the year and is expected to embark on the journey as early as the first half of 2023.

The mission is a part of Türkiye’s ambitious 10-year space road map, unveiled a year ago, which also includes missions to the moon and developing internationally viable satellite systems.

First contact with the moon is planned to be achieved in 2023, the centennial of the founding of the Republic of Türkiye. The program also envisages working with other countries on building a spaceport and creating a global brand in satellite technology.

TUA was established in 2018 with the aim of joining a handful of other countries with space programs.