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Turkey to send twin micro rovers to Moon in China-led mission

The mission, led by Ankara’s Middle East Technical University in collaboration with Zhejiang University and Chinese private space-tech company Star Vision, is scheduled for launch in 2028. Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ) is set to make space history as two autonomous micro rovers developed by the university will be deployed to the Moon’s South Pole under China’s Chang’e-8 mission, marking Türkiye as the first country to land and operate two rovers simultaneously on the lunar surface. The AI-driven rovers, named CHERI (Challenging Environment Exploration Robot for Intelligence), each weigh about five kilograms and are roughly the size of a shoebox. Engineered to withstand the Moon’s extreme conditions, they will autonomously conduct 3D mapping, measure temperature and radiation levels, and share navigational data with one another. In a pioneering mission feature, the rovers will be deployed on separate days, with the second recording the first’s descent, a never-before-attempted technique in lunar exploration that is expected to yield unique visual documentation and scientific insight. Developed in partnership with China-based Star Vision and Zhejiang University, the project underscores Türkiye’s growing role in global space collaboration. ODTÜ Rector Ahmet Yozgatl?gil emphasised that the mission reflects both national ambition in space research and a commitment to international scientific cooperation, aiming to build a competitive, independent and innovation-driven ecosystem for the country’s future. Researchers from ODTܒs main campus in Ankara and its Turkish Cyprus campus have contributed to the mission, with the latter developing a scientific payload to support the search for water on the Moon. The Turkish Cyprus campus is also spearheading advances in the digital field, having launched the country’s first undergraduate program in Cybersecurity Engineering in 2025.