A presidential decree on the establishment of Turkiye Space Agency, which studies have longstanding, was published in the Official Gazette.

The center for the space agency will be Ankara, capital of Turkiye, and operates under the Ministry of Industry and Technology said Official Gazette.

The agency will prepare and carry out the national space program, will be administrative and financially autonomous, and have its own budget.

"With the establishment of the Turkish Space Agency, which will determine the policies and strategies related to space technologies, the 20-years dream came true," said Mustafa Varank, Industry and Technology Minister of Turkiye.

Stating that Turkish Space Agency will prepare the ground for the development of competitive industry not dependent on exports, Varank added, "Our national interests will be observed in space." (ILKHA)