# Aerospace and rocket competitions in Aksaray

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/aerospace-and-rocket-competitions-in-aksaray
> Updated: 2026-09-12T10:30:06.000Z. Sources: 27. Developments: 2.

In September 2026, Aksaray hosted major aerospace and rocket competitions as part of the TEKNOFEST festival. 

The 11th Türksat Model Satellite Competition featured 15 finalist teams selected from 302 applicants across nine countries. The competition focused on the ‘Stable Landing Guided Mechanical Actuator’ (SİGMA) concept, requiring university students to develop solutions for autonomous mission management, stabilization, and propulsion.

Simultaneously, ROKETSAN held its 9th annual Rocket Competition at the Aksaray Hisar Shooting Range. Out of 2,139 applicants, 73 teams reached the final stage, competing in categories such as high-altitude and hybrid fuel motor rockets. The competition included international participants from Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, India, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Azerbaijan, and Indonesia.

Alongside these student competitions, ROKETSAN reported advancements in defense technology. General Manager Murat İkinci announced that the TAYFUN Blok-4 ballistic missile is nearing entry into the Turkish Armed Forces inventory, preparations for the mass production of the GEZGİN long-range cruise missile are complete, and the İHA-300 missile has demonstrated successful engagement capabilities. Specifically, İkinci highlighted that the İHA-300 supersonic ballistic missile recently successfully hit a target over 250 kilometers away during a test involving a Bayraktar AKINCI UAV.

## Claims

- The IHA-300/300-ER missile successfully struck a target at a distance exceeding 250 kilometers during a test on September 10. (disputed)
- The IHA-300 missile has an engagement range of over 300 kilometers when launched from UAVs and over 500 kilometers when launched from fighter jets. (disputed)
- The rocket competition includes seven international teams from Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, India, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Azerbaijan, and Indonesia. (corroborated by 6 sources)
- 73 teams reached the final stage of the ROKETSAN Rocket Competition held in Aksaray. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- A total of 2,139 teams applied for various categories of the ROKETSAN Rocket Competition. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The TAYFUN Blok-4 missile is expected to enter the Turkish Armed Forces inventory in the near future. (single source)
- The TAYFUN Blok-3 missile recently successfully struck a moving ship target. (single source)
- Mass production preparations for the GEZGİN long-range cruise missile have been completed. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-12: ROKETSAN hosts international rocket competition in Aksaray

ROKETSAN's TEKNOFEST rocket competition in Aksaray features 73 international finalist teams, while General Manager Murat İkinci announced the upcoming deployment of the TAYFUN Blok-4 hypersonic missile.

23 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/roketsan-advances-missile-technology-and-hosts-international-rocket-competition

### 2026-09-06: Türksat Model Satellite Competition finals to be held in Aksaray

Fifteen finalist teams will compete in the 11th Türksat Model Satellite Competition in Aksaray from September 15-18, focusing on autonomous space technology and the SİGMA concept.

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/trksat-model-satellite-competition-finals-to-be-held-in-aksaray

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Cite as: Aerospace and rocket competitions in Aksaray. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/aerospace-and-rocket-competitions-in-aksaray