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Turkey has begun building a new spaceport on Somalia’s coast, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced at a Dec. 31, 2025 briefing in Ankara — a strategic move that could lower launch costs and position Ankara to win more commercial and defense missions.

This was reported by the Infohub.kz news agency.

Why Somalia — and not launches from Turkey?

Somalia sits close to the equator, where Earth’s rotational speed is about 1,670 km/h, giving rockets a valuable eastward boost. Long, open sea corridors over the Indian Ocean also improve safety for staging and debris fall zones, while relatively stable year-round weather widens launch windows.

By contrast, Turkey’s mid-latitude geography, dense air and ground traffic, and limited safe over-sea corridors raise costs and complicate frequent commercial operations.

What Ankara has confirmed so far

Erdoğan’s announcement coincided with a visit to Ankara by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. According to Baykar chairman Selçuk Bayraktar, Somalia has allocated roughly a 30×30 km area for the project, giving Turkey a direct path to open ocean launches.

Turkey has accelerated its space agenda over the past decade: the Turkish Space Agency (TUA) was created in 2018, a national space program was unveiled in 2021, and in 2024 the country’s first astronaut, Alper Gezeravcı, reached orbit.

Project status and governance

Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır said feasibility and design work are complete and the first phase of construction has begun. The project is part of the national program’s “Access to Space and Spaceport” pillar, coordinated by the ministry with TUA and other state bodies.

Launch systems and industrial ecosystem

Turkish firms are expected to be the primary users. Roketsan is developing the MUFS system to place microsatellites of 100 kg and above into roughly 400 km orbits. DeltaV Space Technologies is advancing its SORS launcher line, while TUSAŞ plans Şimşek‑1 and Şimşek‑2 systems targeting payloads of 400–1,500 kg. Fergani Space is building rockets and satellite platforms, aiming to support a domestic end-to-end launch chain.

Navigation independence

Baykar is also working on a global positioning, navigation and timing service called “Ulug Bey,” designed for high accuracy and resilience against jamming and spoofing — capabilities viewed as critical for both civilian and military users.

Turkey–Somalia partnership: a decade in the making

Cooperation deepened after Erdoğan’s 2011 visit to Somalia. Turkey has since invested in infrastructure, energy, hydrocarbons, agriculture, and fisheries. Since 2017, the TURKSOM base in Mogadishu has trained Somali forces, including specialized units equipped and instructed to Turkish standards.

What it means for the region

An equatorial launch site could give Turkey lower-cost access to heavy and frequent missions for the global market. While not a like-for-like replacement for Kazakhstan’s Baikonur or the Baiterek project, the Somali spaceport adds a new competitive player for equatorial and low Earth orbit launches.