Turkey's METU unveils lunar micro-rover prototype, plans 2030 polar mission with China

Middle East Technical University (METU) completed the first prototype of its Cheri lunar micro-rover and announced a two-rover autonomous mission to the lunar south pole targeted for 2030, in collaboration with the China National Space Administration. The plan marks Turkey's first deep-space robotic surface mission and a notable expansion of its space program, though the timeline and partnership details remain preliminary. The collaboration signals deepening Turkey-China space ties, potentially affecting geopolitical alignments in space exploration.