Over 70 astronauts to attend space event

ISTANBUL

Türkiye will host more than 70 internationally renowned astronauts during a five-day space event, Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır has announced.

Hosted by Gökmen Space Aviation Training Center in the northwestern province of Bursa, the country’s first space aviation-themed interactive education hub, the event will feature astronauts and cosmonauts from 19 different countries known for their contributions to a large number of space missions.

They will collaborate to raise awareness about space exploration during the event, which will take place between Sept. 25 and 29.

"The selection of Türkiye for the event, which will be attended by world-renowned astronauts and cosmonauts, is important in terms of reaping the fruits of the National Space Program. We are waiting for all space enthusiasts," Kacir said in a social media post.

The event will feature prominent figures in the field of space exploration, ranging from astronaut Victor J. Glover, the pilot of the Artemis II mission set to orbit the moon, to Fei Junlong from China, who spent a total of 191 days in space, and Russian cosmonaut Sergey Avdeev, with 747 days of space experience.

Alper Gezeravcı and Tuva Atasever, who will be Türkiye’s first space travelers with a journey at the end of this year, will meet with space enthusiasts within the scope of the "Future Projection" session. On Sept. 27, astronauts will also meet with students as part of the "Science-Society" activities.

The theme of the organization was determined based on modern Türkiye founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s quote, “The future is in the skies.”