Türkiye's first astronaut to embark on mission on Jan 9
ANKARA
Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır has declared that the country's inaugural astronaut, Alper Gezeravcı, is set to embark his mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on Jan. 9, 2024.
The Turkish space traveler will join forces with fellow astronauts from Spain, Italy and Sweden on the collaborative endeavor. Kacır unveiled details of the mission in a video shared on X yesterday, where Gezeravcı introduced the mission patch, symbolizing the diverse elements associated with Türkiye's history.
The patch features an eight-pointed Seljuk star, the Turkish flag, stars representing the 16 Turkic states, the number 100 to commemorate the Turkish republic's centennial and a turquoise map of Türkiye on Earth.
During the 14-day mission, Gezeravcı is set to conduct 13 different scientific experiments in diverse fields such as biology, medicine, materials science and genetics.
Gezeravcı, a seasoned pilot with 21 years of experience in the Turkish Air Force, underwent extensive training provided by Axiom Space, a U.S.-based company specializing in space infrastructure development.
The Turkish government secured a deal with the privately funded space infrastructure developer for both the astronaut's training and flight services.
Axiom Space is renowned as the sole full-service orbital mission provider in the commercial space industry, offering end-to-end solutions for manned missions. Its services encompass mission planning, hardware development, life support, medical support, crew provisions, hardware and safety certifications, on-orbit operations and mission management.
