Turkey's lunar mission (AYAP-1) has reached an important milestone. An agreement was signed between the Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF) and TÜBİTAK UZAY on July 5, 2022 at TÜBİTAK Space Technologies Research Institute for the Lunar Neutral Telescope (LNT) scientific payload that will collect data on neutral particles from the lunar surface as part of Turkey's first lunar mission.

Within the scope of this agreement, IRF will provide the LNT payload, while TÜBİTAK UZAY will integrate the LNT payload into the spacecraft developed for the lunar mission and make the data available to the scientists of both countries. This payload will enable research on fundamental issues such as plasma interaction with celestial bodies like the Moon, which do not have a strong atmosphere and magnetic field, and their surfaces, the contribution of solar winds to the formation of water on the Moon, the formation of mini-magnetospheres and the physics of dust plasmas.

In addition, very productive meetings were held between these two institutions, which are experienced in the field of space technologies, and mutual exchange of information was ensured. As a result of this cooperation, it was agreed to expand scientific and technological cooperation between the two institutions as well as between Turkey and Sweden.