Türkiye’s Groundbreaking Space Mission
From the cascading urban labyrinth of Istanbul to the boundless realms of outer space, Turkish pioneer and astronaut Alper Gezeravcı has ventured into uncharted territories. As the first Turkish astronaut, Gezeravcı’s epoch-making space mission, carried out with the Ax-3 crew, is nearing its culmination. The quartet is gearing up to make their journey back to Earth aboard the SpaceX Dragon capsule, with the homecoming scheduled for Feb. 3.
The countdown to their Earth re-entry began with a farewell ceremony held on Feb. 2. The event was live-streamed at 5:50 p.m. Turkish time on Axiom Space’s social media platforms, drawing viewers from across the globe. Gezeravcı and his team are due to undock from the International Space Station (ISS), where they’ve been stationed, on Feb. 3 at 2 p.m. Turkish time. The return voyage to Earth is estimated to last around 12 hours.
The landing plan includes seven tentative sites, predominantly scattered across the stretch of the Atlantic Ocean east of U.S.’ Florida, and into the Gulf of Mexico to the west. Depending on the technical factors at play during their re-entry, like atmospheric pressure, wind conditions, and fuel limits, the team might hit water or sand. This calculated descent will be helped by the tug of war between the gravitational pull acting on the capsule and the fuel’s opposing resistance. The two forces combined will dictate the speed at which the Dragon capsule descends.
Considering the astronauts have been in a zero-gravity environment for an extended period, re-adapting to Earth’s atmosphere and the resultant gravitational force will pose a challenge. Some of the first effects on their bodies might include an initial inability to walk and a minor loss of consciousness. Operating under this new environment can be a hazardous ordeal, taking them some time to re-adjust their bodies to Earth’s gravity.
Once Gezeravcı returns to Earth, his first pit stop will be at a NASA control center for health examinations and supervision. Post this, he is expected to return to Türkiye within a week. Upon his return, he’s set to take on an educational role, paying visits to various schools and universities. His aim is to share his profound experiences, as well as the results of the 13 experiments he conducted aboard the ISS, with the academic community and students. He envisions that this sharing of knowledge will inspire future Turkish astronauts and further Türkiye’s place in space exploration.
