President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday highlighted the importance of Türkiye’s inaugural area mission as a scientific endeavor, telling Alper Gezeravcı he was the nation’s first astronaut however “won’t be the last.”
Erdoğan’s remarks got here throughout the first contact with Gezeravcı, a member of a four-man crew that arrived on the International Space Station (ISS) early Saturday for a two-week keep.
The rendezvous happened 37 hours after the Axiom Mission 3 quartet’s Thursday night liftoff in a rocketship from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Plans name for the Ax-3 crew to spend roughly 14 days in microgravity conducting greater than 30 experiments, lots of them targeted on the consequences of spaceflight on human well being and illness, advancing industrial processes and extra.
A former fighter pilot and captain for Turkish Airlines, Gezeravcı has already began to conduct the primary of 13 scientific experiments he will probably be acting on behalf of universities and scientific facilities in Türkiye, the Turkish Space Agency (TUA) introduced Monday.
These vary from experiments on microalgae life help models for area missions to the consequences of microgravity on the human respiratory system.
Erdoğan has displayed a eager curiosity within the mission, which he had referred to as “historic.”
“Our first manned space mission being scientific is highly valuable. Turkish scientists will contribute to significant studies that will enrich the scientific literature,” stated the president throughout a videoconference with Gezeravcı.
“I hope for the successful completion of the experiments you will carry out in various fields there.”
The name marked the primary out of seven deliberate communications with Türkiye all through Gezeravcı’s mission on the ISS.
The astronaut instructed Erdoğan he had accomplished his preliminary activity by transferring the experiment equipment from the Dragon capsule to the pre-experiment storage positions.
“I have commenced our experiments according to the planned schedule. Throughout my mission here, I will document and bring back the results of all these experiments to our country,” Gezeravcı stated.
“I have quickly adapted to the environment at the ISS and continue my work as planned.”
The journey is a part of Türkiye’s bold 10-year area highway map, unveiled in early 2021, together with missions to the moon and creating internationally viable satellite tv for pc techniques.
The program envisages working with different nations to construct a spaceport and create a world satellite tv for pc know-how model.
The TUA was established in 2018 to hitch a handful of different nations with area packages.
“You have become our first astronaut, but you will not be the last,” Erdoğan instructed Gezeravcı.
“Türkiye has secured its place amongst nations conducting manned area missions. With this mission, the curiosity of our youngsters and youth in the direction of area will additional improve.
“Perhaps many of our children will be inspired to enter this field and follow in your footsteps,” the president famous.
Erdoğan stated Gezeravcı was probably the most appropriate candidate for the mission as a pilot skilled by the Turkish Air Force.
“However, this time, you have transcended far beyond the altitude you usually reach as a pilot,” he stated. “You have experienced a challenging journey.”
Gezeravcı expressed pleasure “to be representing my country on this meaningful mission” because the nation “steps into the ‘Century of Türkiye.'”
Erdoğan has been touting the “Century of Türkiye” imaginative and prescient since 2022. The imaginative and prescient encapsulates an bold set of political, financial, social and cultural improvements and developments his authorities goals to perform to have fun Türkiye’s centenary as a republic.
Source: www.dailysabah.com