Airbus official Carlo Mirra said they had discussed possible cooperation in Turkey with TÜBİTAK (Turkey’s public scientific and technological research agency), with lunar exploration, human spaceflight and satellite communications among the topics. Mirra said he was excited about IAC 2026, which will be held on October 5-9 at the NEST Congress Center in Antalya under the coordination of Sanayi ve Teknoloji Bakanlığı (Turkey’s Ministry of Industry and Technology), hosted by TUA and co-hosted by SAHA İstanbul.
Mirra, who has been working with IAC and IAF since 1989, said he had held leadership positions on technical and administrative committees for nearly 40 years, currently served as chair of the Industrial Relations Committee and had been inducted into the “Hall of Fame.” Mirra, who is responsible for Airbus’ business relations with ESA, said they were monitoring Turkey’s political interest and the growth of its industrial capabilities, adding that the National Space Program, the flight of astronauts and the goal of independent access to space conveyed important messages.
Mirra said approximately 10 thousand people were expected to attend IAC and that more than 1800 abstracts had been submitted by Turkish institutions, adding that the congress would provide an opportunity for an exchange of ideas ranging from green propulsion systems to small satellite architectures. He said the event would bring together companies, startups, contractors and investors, contributing to commercial agreements, and highlighted its leadership in space diplomacy.
Why it matters
These contacts show that Türkiye’s space ambitions are not limited to public institutions, but are also tied to the pursuit of technical and institutional partnerships with international companies. The fact that the topics cover lunar research, crewed flights and satellite communications indicates that the cooperation has both exploration and infrastructure dimensions. The emphasis on growth in industrial capacity points to broad opportunities for institutions, startups and contractors in Türkiye to participate in potential projects. IAC 2026 will serve as a meeting point where these actors can evaluate ideas, papers and commercial connections in the same setting. However, it has not yet been disclosed which projects, division of responsibilities or timelines the topics discussed with TÜBİTAK will lead to.
Background
Türkiye is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: we have published 72 news reports mentioning it in the last 90 days; the most recent is dated September 27, 2026.