First Turkish astronaut Brigadier General Alper Gezeravcı said Türkiye has taken important steps in recent years to integrate the infrastructure it has developed in defense and aviation into space activities.
Evaluating the 77th International Astronautical Congress, Gezeravcı said space continues to be an important area of international cooperation. The congress was organized by the International Astronautical Federation in coordination with the Ministry of Industry and Technology, the Turkish Space Agency and SAHA Istanbul.
Türkiye hosted the congress for the first time
Türkiye hosted the International Astronautical Congress for the first time in its history. Gezeravcı said intensive work had been carried out for approximately one year to prepare for the congress.
Emphasizing that space should not be viewed as the domain of a single person or country, Gezeravcı said cooperation in space has continued even during periods of intense competition between countries. He noted that approximately 30 countries are actively cooperating במסגרת peaceful space activities.
Infrastructure integration under the National Space Program
Gezeravcı said Türkiye is working under the National Space Program to integrate into space activities the infrastructure developed particularly in the defense and aviation sectors over the past 20 years.
Gezeravcı said concrete steps had been taken to implement the program after the National Space Program was announced in 2021. He added that the congress provided an opportunity to develop Türkiye’s space ecosystem and demonstrate the country’s potential in space to the world.
13 of 48 experiment proposals selected
Gezeravcı said it was important for different potential partners in Türkiye to become familiar with the country’s capabilities and gain access to its infrastructure.
Gezeravcı said 48 experiment proposals had been submitted by 37 universities and research institutions in Türkiye, and that 13 of these proposals had been selected to be conducted in space as part of the Turkish Astronaut and Science Mission.
Gezeravcı said the experiments covered human health, materials science, microbiology and various areas of space research. He noted that the studies had been completed in the space environment and brought back to Earth along with their results.
Gezeravcı said astronaut duties were carried out during one part of the mission, while scientific experiments developed in Türkiye were conducted during the other.
