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Turkey could play an influential role in the International Lunar Research Station, says space analyst
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Its national space programme includes building sophisticated satellites and space launch capability and aims to make a hard landing on lunar surface in 2026
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It aligned with the country’s recent achievements in space, including astronaut Alper Gezeravci’s trip to the International Space Station as part of the Ax-3 commercial human space flight mission
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John Sheldon, co-founding managing partner of the London-based space consulting company AstroAnalytica, said he was not surprised Turkey was interested in joining the ILRS initiative.
Turkish involvement would benefit China given its space ambitions and programmes, with the implication of potential budget and technological contributions, he said on Wednesday.
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The move would also serve Ankara’s geopolitical goals, he said, as its foreign policy was going through a significant transition from being a Western-oriented country to looking increasingly towards the east and south.
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If Turkey’s application is accepted, it would be the 10th nation member of the China and Russian-led moon base project, following Venezuela, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, South Africa, Egypt and Thailand.
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On the heels of restricting exports to Israel, is Turkey making an alignment change?
I think they’re just being honest and choosing the moon base that will be built.
Yea it's this. The Artemis program is a boondongle and unlike during the cold war, the contractors know there is no existential threat to them if the program is never completed. When the program finally gets cancelled the only downside is that one of the contractors money spigots is turned off, but another will soon show up.
The US is a sinking ship, cant govern themselves, cant be relied upon and have taken the side of the aggressor in a genocide.
This is the find out part for the US.
Failed government, unreliable, genocide. Can't believe it's not turkey!
Deflection, I do say
Turkey has no alignment. It does whatever looks best at any moment.
In this case it's probably that Azerbaijan is also in the program
And while still under Erdogan. They're realizing they've been on a sinking ship maybe lol