Türkiye's first astronaut conducts 9th experiment aboard ISS

ISTANBUL

Alper Gezeravcı, Türkiye's first astronaut, commenced the ninth experiment called "MESSAGE," which seeks to determine microgravity effects on aging, aboard the International Space Station (ISS) on Jan. 31.

Under the coordination of Dr. Cihan Taştan from Üsküdar University, the "MESSAGE" experiment aims to study genes whose function has not yet been discovered, how they are affected by the microgravity environment and their relationship to the immune system during space missions.

In order to determine these effects, blood samples have been taken from Gezeravci on Earth and will continue to be taken in space. At the end of the mission, blood samples will be taken again after the rover lands on Earth.

This experiment is expected to deepen a critical understanding of the fundamental health aspects of living in space and contribute to a better understanding of the human health impacts of future space missions.

Gezeravcı has conducted eight experiments since arriving at the ISS.

"ALGALSPACE," which investigates the use of algae in the space environment in the areas of oxygen regeneration from carbon dioxide, supplementary food supply, water improvement and life support, and "CRISPR-GEM," which is the first step towards developing new plants to provide the nutrients needed by the large number of people who will live in space in the future and to support environmental controls in closed living environments, are also currently in progress.