Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced Tuesday a 10-year space program that includes missions to the Moon and the development of new satellite systems.
Why it matters: Erdoğan said his country plans to send its citizens into space with international cooperation, build a spaceport with other countries and create a "global brand" of satellite technology, according to AP.
Gen. John Raymond — the head of space operations for the Space Force — said last week that the newest branch of the military is still searching for its footing when communicating its work to the public.
Why it matters: The Space Force — established by the Trump administration — has often been the butt of jokes, including a Netflix satire of the same name, but many in the space industry recognize its utility as the U.S. increasingly relies on space.
Businessman Jared Isaacman is putting his life in SpaceX's hands.
The big picture: Isaacman is leading the first all-civilian mission to space on a chartered flight with SpaceX expected to fly before the end of the year.
The United Arab Emirates' Hope probe successfully made it into orbit around Mars Tuesday, vaulting the Arab nation into an elite class of space-faring nations.
Why it matters: With Hope's success, the UAE is now the fifth nation or space agency to operate an orbiter around Mars.
The newest missions to Mars are about life on Earth as much as they're about science on the Red Planet.
Why it matters: The United Arab Emirates and China, which each have missions arriving at Mars this week, have tied geopolitical and national ambitions to their Martian endeavors.
