‘Be proud, Türkiye’: President Erdogan shares astronaut's video ahead of nation's achievement in space

By Seda Sevencan

ISTANBUL (AA) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan underlined his country's impending achievement of a historic milestone in the field of space exploration, saying, "Be proud, Türkiye."

“We are very close to achieving our goal of sending a citizen into space for the first time on a scientific mission. Be proud, Türkiye,” Erdogan said on X.

The president shared a compelling video on his social media account, featuring Col. Alper Gezeravci, Türkiye’s first would-be space traveler, who is set to embark on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) next week.

The video shows Colonel Gezeravci conversing with a young girl named Zeynep, who visited the Turkish Space Agency to apply for an astronaut position and interacted with him via video conference.

In response to Zeynep's questions about himself, Gezeravci said, "I am a jet pilot who has been flying for 22 years. I've successfully completed over 100 tests, and everything appears to be on track. We've been preparing for two years, and I'm confident I'll succeed."

Col. Alper Gezeravci, a member of the Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) crew, is set to depart on Jan. 18 from the US state of Florida on a mission that holds great significance for his country.

During his anticipated 14-day stay on the ISS, Gezeravci will conduct a series of scientific experiments, contributing to the global body of space research.

Türkiye selected Gezeravci, a Turkish Air Force F-16 pilot, as the country's first prospective space traveler last year during the major technology event TEKNOFEST.

The Turkish Space Agency was established in 2018 and announced its space program in 2019, as well as its intention to send a crewed mission into space.