Turkish Space Agency Head Elected as International Astronautical Federation VP

Yusuf Kirac, president of the Turkish Space Agency (TUA), has been elected as a vice president of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), the agency announced on Monday, The Caspian Post reports, citing Anadolu.

The 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), world’s premier global space event, began in Sydney on Monday and will continue until Oct. 3.

The "IAC 2025 has begun, and at our stand, we hosted the international space ecosystem with our companies and universities," TUA wrote on Turkish social media platform NSosyal.

"And one more great piece of news: Our TUA President Mr. Yusuf KIRAÇ has been elected as Vice President of the International Astronautical Federation! We're moving forward even stronger for #IAC2026 Antalya."

The IAC 2026 is scheduled to take place on Oct. 5-9, 2026 in the Turkish resort city of Antalya.

The theme of IAC Sydney 2025 is “Sustainable Space: Resilient Earth,” which will set the stage for important discussions such as space-based applications for earth; sustainable space activities; and sustaining life off the Earth.

Key focus areas include showcasing the Asia Pacific region, inspiring and engaging the next generation’s space workforce, engaging a broad range of industries, and educating the community about ‘why space matters’ through the IAC’s open day, according to the IAF website.