The agreement also includes engagement with Turkish businesses and universities on space-related projects.
Commercial space company Sierra Space, Turkish Space Agency and ESEN Sistem Entegrasyon (ESEN) have signed a new Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) that will find the three parties combining efforts on Sierras Spaces LEO, lunar and astronaut programmes.
The MoC agreement outlines plans for Sierra Space and ESEN to work in partnership with the Turkish Space Agency for the next five years on a wide range of space technologies and applications, including the Dream Chaser spaceplane and LIFE (Large Integrated Flexible Environment) habitat for future commercial LEO destinations.
Commenting on the agreement, Tom Vice, CEO of Sierra Space, said: “This agreement with the Turkish Space Agency and ESEN is another significant step for Sierra Space as we build a technology and business platform in LEO and in doing so deliver affordable access to space, opening the commercial space economy to the world. The work we do to advance human civilization has never been more important, and we have the unique opportunity in space to bring people together from across the world to pioneer next-generation space transportation, destinations and applications solutions.”
The MoC also provides for additional collaboration on a range of initiatives, including space technologies and applications in areas such as remote sensing, propulsion systems, crewed space system and space communications; space environment utilization on-orbit in LEO, including the use of Sierra Spaces Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE) space habitat module; sending payloads to low Earth orbit (LEO) and the moon; and engagement with and incubation of Turkish industry and academia in space-related business ventures, R&D, technology innovation and science campaigns.
Serdar Hüseyin Y?ld?r?m, President of the Turkish Space Agency, added: “The Turkish Space Agency is proud to partner with Sierra Space and ESEN to participate in the development and execution of Sierra Spaces various projects and space technologies including the Dream Chaser spaceplane, LIFE Habitat and a range of space applications. There are tremendous benefits for our industries and future space projects by leveraging Sierra Space capabilities and technologies, and we look forward to further collaboration with Sierra Space to identify additional opportunities where we can be active participants in the future of commercial spaces infrastructure and economy.”
Cem Ugur, Director General for ESEN, stated: “Sierra Space is an industry leader in the commercial space economy, and we are delighted to continue our efforts with the company to help build the Turkish space economy. As we work in partnership to further propel Sierra Spaces advanced technologies and commercial space projects, we can advance commercial space development for those all around the world.”
In November 2021, Sierra Space secured $1.4bn in capital, the largest Series A capital raise in 2021 and the industrys second-largest private capital raise in history. The funding is accelerating the development of the companys space transportation systems led by the Dream Chaser spaceplane, in-space destinations for LEO commercialization, and advanced technologies and space applications, together forming a technology and business platform in space.
