Sunday
22nd Dec 2024
Dhivehi Edition
Türkiye’s first astronaut goes to the ISS. / Photo: SpaceX
Türkiye is now included in the list of countries that have successfully sent astronauts to the International Space Station.
Colonel Alpa Gezeravici, a fighter pilot of its air force, has gone into space. He is traveling to the International Space Station (ISS) on a two-week mission.
Speaking to TRT before the mission, Colonel Gezeravici said sending an astronaut into space was an “very symbolic, important step.” However, he described it as not the end of Türkiye's journey, but the beginning for the country.
The four-person crew took off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The spacecraft they flew was the SpaceX Dragon capsule, which is attached to a Falcon 9 rocket.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the mission was a historic moment. The trip has raised the collective pride of the Turks to its peak. Besides being an important work in the field of science, Erdogan said it would bring hope to Turkey's younger generations.
In some pre-flight interviews, the 44-year-old Gezeravici said becoming an astronaut was not something he had ever dreamed of. At the time, he believed that space travel was reserved for the children of other countries.
Türkiye will conduct 13 space experiments during the 14-day journey. These include the PRANET experiment designed by students in the eastern Turkish city of Mus. This study was designed to determine the antibacterial effect of propolis in microgravity environments.
Turkey's space research plans include biotechnology, electronic engineering and cancer. One of the studies is to determine the effects of radiation treatment of cancer cells in space.
Gezeravici noted that the presence of a Turkish astronaut in the International Space Station will facilitate the development of scientific research to keep pace with other developed countries.