Turkey signed US-led Artemis Accords. Its moon rovers will hitch a ride with China

Turkey has joined America's Artemis Accords, a set of rules for the moon, but its rovers destined for the lunar south pole are likely to be sent by China. A team of over 120 students and professors from Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara has developed prototypes of two AI-powered rovers for China's Chang'e-8 mission, which was initially planned for 2028.

Turkey, being a NATO member, has good relations with both the US and China, though it is not part of China's International Lunar Research Station, a base being built with Russia and other partners. The METU president, Ahmet Yozgatligil, emphasized that academic pursuits should transcend political tensions. Despite some delays due to China's changes in its moon program, the rovers are expected to launch sometime between 2029 and 2030.

The Turkish rovers are small, weighing under 5kg and equipped with an onboard AI system that allows them to navigate the terrain and map it. They will hitch a ride to the moon aboard the Chinese spacecraft and use J-shaped legs to navigate the rugged polar landscape. One of the rovers' main objectives is to search for signs of water in the area around the lander, which could be crucial for future lunar bases.

The rovers are named CHERI, after the Ottoman Empire's elite troops, and are currently being tested in sandpits in Ankara. The Turkish team hopes to have the flight-ready rovers by the end of the decade, pending approval from China's Manned Space Agency.