Alper Gezeravcı, Türkiye's first space traveler and astronaut, made history on January 18, 2024, as the first Turk to travel to space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Alper Gezeravcı's first words in space were, "The future is in the skies!".
Gezeravcı is continuing his journey in space aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule to reach the International Space Station (ISS). Gezeravcı is expected to reach the ISS on Saturday. He will spend 14 days on the ISS and conduct 13 different scientific experiments.
Gezeravcı is the first Turkish astronaut selected for Türkiye's first manned space mission. His selection was announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in 2023. Gezeravcı was born in Mersin in 1979. He served as a fighter pilot in the Turkish Air Force for 15 years. He earned a master's degree from the US Air Force Institute of Technology.
Gezeravcı took the Turkish flag, family photos, and some objects related to Yörük culture into space. Gezeravcı will be the first person to speak Turkish in space. Gezeravcı's space journey is expected to make a significant contribution to Türkiye's space efforts. Through live broadcasts from space, Gezeravcı will encourage Turkish youth to be curious about and explore space, and will be an inspiration for future Turkish astronauts.
What is the SpaceX AX-3 mission?
The SpaceX Ax-3 mission is a private spaceflight organized by Axiom Space and carried out using the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule. This mission is notable for being the first fully European commercial space mission to carry four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).
The Ax-3 mission commander was Michael López-Alegría, a US and Spanish citizen; the pilot was Walter Villadei from the Italian Air Force; and the mission experts were Alper Gezeravcı, Türkiye's first space traveler, and Marcus Wandt from the European Space Agency (ESA).
Note
If you have any photos or video footage to support our news story, please share them with us using the information provided on our contact us page.
