Alper Gezeravcı and his backup Tuna Cihangir Atasever, who had been launched as Türkiye’s first house vacationers within the seventh version of Teknofest, and engaged in preparations and coaching within the U.S., have not too long ago shared particulars of their choice course of, expectations, in addition to sharing their satisfaction on being chosen for such mission.
Gezeravcı is an achieved pilot on the Turkish Air Forces Command, whereas Atasever is an engineer engaged on house launch methods on the Turkish protection large, Roketsan.
Chatting with Anadolu Company (AA) from the Houston heart, Gezeravcı, who is about to spend 14 days on the Worldwide Area Station (ISS), mentioned that he participated within the house mission whereas persevering with together with his Air Drive Command roles and duties.
Gezeravcı famous that he obtained to know in regards to the “Turkish Astronaut and Science Mission” by accident whereas watching the information one night, as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan introduced this system, Gezeravcı determined to look at the standards on the web site of the Turkish Area Company.
“Upon sensing that I meet the standards, and after inspecting the data of astronauts who’ve already been part of the mission previously yr, inside a interval of some two-three weeks, I’ve determined to use for this system,” he defined.
Stating that he didn’t foresee his choice regardless of finishing all of the phases of the choice course of with ease, Gezeravcı famous that he couldn’t share the information of his being chosen for the duty – acquired from the Scientific and Technological Analysis Council of Türkiye (TÜBITAK) vp Prof. Dr. Ahmet Yozgatlıgil – owing to a confidentiality clause.
Stating that the house mission is deliberate for the final quarter of 2023, Gezeravcı famous that an itinerary will likely be issued within the close to future. He additionally famous that the six-month interval stuffed with academic actions lay forward of them, including that there are lots of particulars and points of the coaching that shock them.
Reiterating {that a} 14-day keep is deliberate for the mission, Gezeravcı added that the launch for the house mission is scheduled on the Kennedy Area Middle in Florida and that experiments chosen by TÜBITAK will likely be carried out on this course of.
Stating that he feels he’s ready for the mission and assured, Gezeravcı mentioned, “There will likely be an opportunity to expertise the dynamics of motion with out gravity, in addition to an surroundings with minimal gravity known as ‘microgravity’, which we aren’t accustomed to; however I don’t see any of those as difficult.”
Area expectations
Saying that it is “extraordinarily gratifying” to be the primary house traveler for the nation, Gezeravcı famous he expects this primary step undertaken “to be a beginning step in our historical past that we’ll be happy with”, including that he hopes that within the later interval, Türkiye would participate in bigger house tasks, assuming a place of not only a participant however as one having a say as effectively.”
Tuva Cihangir Atasever, speaking mentioned his dream of house journey and its eventual materialization.
Noting that his journey commenced in 2014 and that he strived to be part of the journey in low earth orbit en path to the moon, Atasever mentioned the fateful resolution allowed him to pursue the house mission.
“When the Nationwide Area Program was introduced and a Turkish house traveler could be chosen, I had already made up my thoughts to use,” he mentioned.
Recalling that it was thrilling, he famous that he had utilized in Could 2022 whereas additionally noting that the method was prolonged.
“We went by extraordinarily intense and difficult exams and elimination phases. We went by screening processes comparable to intelligence exams, analytical pondering exams, psychological exams, after which some bodily environmental exams and interviews. It was a course of that took about 10 months in whole. It’s superb to be right here consequently,” he maintained.
Informing that they’d largely undergone theoretical coaching because the starting of their coaching within the U.S., Atasever defined that at present, they’re specializing in the evaluation of technical info, and emergency situations associated to the automobile they’ll launch into house, including that extra thrilling coaching course of is anticipated within the upcoming months.