Turkey’s TLM-1 lunar spacecraft is entering environmental testing ahead of a planned Falcon 9 launch in the second quarter of 2027. The mission team is targeting April for departure, according to Spaceflight Now’s October 30 report.
TÜBİTAK UZAY, which built the spacecraft, announced completion of spacecraft integration on September 14. The integrated vehicle was transferred to the USET test center for environmental qualification.
The test program includes thermal-vacuum, structural, and electromagnetic compatibility work. Thermal-vacuum testing places the spacecraft in a low-pressure environment and exposes it to controlled temperatures. Structural testing examines its response to mechanical loads. Electromagnetic compatibility work checks how onboard electrical equipment operates together.
TÜBİTAK UZAY reported that 56 of the spacecraft’s 65 equipment items were developed domestically. Its platform builds on experience from the İMECE and TÜRKSAT 6A satellite programs.
Hybrid Propulsion for the Journey to Lunar Orbit
TLM-1 will use a hybrid propulsion system developed by DeltaV. The engine combines nitrous oxide with a solid polymer fuel. The mission plan assigns the hybrid engine to the departure maneuver toward the Moon and to lunar orbit insertion, alongside separate chemical thrusters for other spacecraft operations.
The spacecraft is designed to reach a polar lunar orbit approximately 100 kilometers above the surface after a journey of about two months. TÜBİTAK UZAY describes an initial three-month science phase.
The payload includes a Lunar Neutrals Telescope, a Lunar Narrow Field of View Radiometer, a Radiation Calorimeter, and a Dosimeter. The spacecraft also carries high-resolution and wide-angle cameras and equipment for vision-based navigation.
The planned mission ends with a controlled impact on the Moon. TLM-1’s flight and operations form part of Turkey’s preparation for TLM-2, a proposed follow-on mission with a lander and rover.
After environmental testing, the spacecraft is scheduled to return to a cleanroom at Middle East Technical University for final work before shipment to Cape Canaveral.
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