Türkiye has begun construction of a satellite and rocket launch facility along Somalia’s Indian Ocean coastline, a project officials say will advance Ankara’s space ambitions while positioning Somalia as a new participant in the global space sector.
The spaceport, backed by Turkish defence and aerospace companies under state authority, is being developed on a coastal site measuring approximately 30 by 30 kilometers. Turkish officials say the facility will provide Türkiye with its first platform for orbital launches and strengthen its capacity to carry out independent space missions.
Selçuk Bayraktar, chairman of Turkish defence and aerospace firm Baykar, announced the project at the Take Off İstanbul 2025 conference, describing Somalia’s coastline as a strategically suitable location for space launches due to its open-ocean access, which allows for safe launch trajectories and recovery operations.
Bayraktar said only a limited number of locations worldwide offer the geographic and coastal conditions necessary for full-scale spaceflight, adding that Somalia’s position near the equator provides significant technical advantages.
The facility is expected to be used by multiple Turkish aerospace and defence companies, including Roketsan and Baykar, with Turkish engineers currently overseeing early construction and technical planning.
Somalia’s proximity to the equator is a key factor behind the project. Equatorial launch sites benefit from the Earth’s rotation, reducing fuel requirements and increasing payload capacity — an advantage widely used by leading spacefaring nations.
Analysts say the project could place Somalia on the global space map for the first time, while also enhancing Türkiye’s access to a strategically important launch corridor linking the Red Sea with the wider Indian Ocean.
The development has attracted international attention, with France-based Intelligence Online reporting that U.S., French and Chinese satellites have imaged areas believed to overlap with the planned launch zone. Observers note that major powers routinely monitor emerging space infrastructure worldwide due to its technological and strategic significance.
Bayraktar has linked the Somalia initiative to Türkiye’s broader efforts to expand its space, satellite and navigation capabilities. Through the Fergani space venture, Türkiye is developing launch vehicles designed to place satellites into low Earth orbit and is also working on an indigenous global navigation system known as Uluğ Bey.
Turkish officials say these efforts aim to reduce reliance on foreign navigation systems, citing operational challenges such as signal interference and spoofing reported in various regions globally.
Türkiye has steadily deepened its partnership with Somalia since 2011 through humanitarian aid, infrastructure projects, defence cooperation and trade. Officials from both countries describe the spaceport as one of the most advanced collaborations to date, with potential to expand cooperation in technology, security and investment.
Once completed, the launch site would give Türkiye an equatorial foothold in the global space sector while contributing to Somalia’s long-term development and technological capacity in a strategically significant region.