Türkiye marked a major diplomatic breakthrough in its expanding space agenda after Turkish Space Agency (TUA) President Yusuf Kirac was unanimously elected to chair the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO) Council for the 2026–2027 term — the first time a Turkish official has held the post.
The Industry and Technology Ministry announced the election on Sunday, calling the outcome a “historic milestone” achieved during APSCO’s 19th Council Meeting in Bangkok. The ministry said the unanimous decision reflects Türkiye’s “growing influence in regional and global space governance.”
APSCO coordinates cooperation on peaceful space use, joint satellite programmes, training, capacity-building and data-sharing among its member states.
Ankara has taken an increasingly active role in these initiatives, contributing to multilateral projects and becoming a prominent partner in technical and academic programmes.
Kirac’s leadership is expected to bolster Türkiye’s strategic weight within APSCO, deepen collaboration on satellite and ground systems, and expand regional capacity through collective projects.
The ministry also highlighted Türkiye’s broader ascent in global space diplomacy: Kirac was recently elected vice president of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) — another first for Türkiye — during the 76th International Astronautical Congress in Sydney. Türkiye will also host the IAC 2026 in Antalya.
Taken together, the ministry said, these advances show that Türkiye is not only developing its own space technologies but is emerging as “an active global actor in space diplomacy and governance.”
