INTERNATIONAL DEFENCE & AEROSPACE EXHIBITION (SAHA 2026)
5–9 May 2026
Istanbul, Türkiye
The International Astronautical Federation (IAF) participated in the International Defence & Aerospace Exhibition (SAHA 2026), held in Istanbul, Türkiye, from 5 to 9 May 2026, reaffirming the growing momentum toward the 77th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2026), scheduled to take place in Antalya, Türkiye, from 5 to 9 October 2026. As a leading national platform for the aerospace, defence and advanced technology sectors, SAHA Expo brought together institutional leaders, industry representatives, innovators and international stakeholders to discuss the future of technology, security and space activities.
Within this framework, a dedicated panel entitled “IAC 2026 Antalya: Türkiye’s Space Vision and Global Cooperation Opportunities” highlighted Türkiye’s expanding role within the global space ecosystem and emphasized the importance of international collaboration.
The panel featured Gabriella Arrigo, President of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF); Yusuf KIRAÇ, IAF Vice President for Relations with International Organizations and Chairman of the Board and President of the Turkish Space Agency (TUA); Arif KARABEYOĞLU, IAC 2026 IPC Co-Chair, Board Member of the Turkish Space Agency (TUA) and Faculty Member at Koç University, Türkiye; and Emine DOĞRUKÖK, Director of IAC 2026 and Adviser to the Minister at the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Industry and Technology.
Moderated by Emine DOĞRUKÖK, the discussion focused on the role of the IAF, the significance of the International Astronautical Congress and the opportunities offered by IAC 2026 in Antalya.
Special attention was given to the growing global interest surrounding IAC 2026. Antalya was selected by the IAF General Assembly in 2023 following the successful candidacy presented by the Turkish Space Agency (TUA) as host and SAHA Istanbul Aerospace Cluster as co-host.
The Congress has already demonstrated record-breaking international engagement. While IAC 2024 in Milan welcomed 7,000 abstracts from 103 countries and IAC 2025 in Sydney received around 6,400 submissions from 106 countries, IAC 2026 Antalya achieved an unprecedented milestone with 8,325 abstracts submitted from 108 countries. Türkiye alone contributed 1,810 abstracts - the highest number ever submitted by a single country in the history of the IAC.
IAF President Gabriella Arrigo further underlined the strategic importance of Türkiye as the host nation, highlighting its dynamic and rapidly evolving space ecosystem, strong industrial capabilities, academic excellence and commitment to international cooperation.
