The International Astronautical Congress (IAC), recognised as one of the most esteemed events in the realm of space, is set to take place in Türkiye next year. The congress, which takes place in a different country each year, will be hosted by Antalya from October 5 to 9, 2026.
Organised by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) with the support of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) and UNOOSA, the fair will bring together leading institutions, including NASA, ESA, JAXA, and Roscosmos, as well as the Turkish Space Agency.
At this year’s IAC 2025 in Australia, a Türkiye Pavilion will be established. Institutions such as the Turkish Space Agency, SAHA Istanbul, Aselsan, Ctech, DeltaV, Poloptech, Roketsan, Technocar, TUSAŞ, TÜBİTAK Space, Türksat, Istanbul Technical University (ITU), and Middle East Technical University (METU) will showcase Türkiye’s technological capabilities, scientific capacity, and collaborative approach in the field of space.
The Turkish Ministry of Industry and Technology will lead the organisation of the Antalya congress, with the Turkish Space Agency and SAHA Istanbul acting as co-organisers.
The International Astronautical Congress introduces next-generation space technologies and hosts the signing of new partnerships. Global industry leaders, including SpaceX, Blue Origin, NASA, ESA, and JAXA, traditionally announce their latest developments at this congress. For instance, Elon Musk unveiled SpaceX’s Mars plans at IAC 2016, while NASA announced its Artemis program at IAC 2019. Türkiye, at IAC 2022, revealed its planned lunar soft-landing mission scheduled for 2028. IAC 2026 is expected to feature major announcements from both Türkiye and the international space community.