Alper Gezeravcı, the first person from Türkiye to have flown to space, was admitted to a hospital on Friday following a traffic accident in northwestern Kocaeli province.

A minibus collided with the rear of Gezeravcı's vehicle on the D-100 highway in Izmit district, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.

Medical and police teams were dispatched to the scene before Gezeravcı, who appeared unharmed, was transported by ambulance to Kocaeli City Hospital for precautionary checks.

Hospital officials have confirmed that Gezeravcı's condition is stable, and he is not expected to suffer any long-term effects from the accident.

A former fighter pilot and captain for Turkish Airlines (THY), Gezeravcı returned to Earth in early February following a nearly three-week mission at the International Space Station (ISS).

His flight is seen in Türkiye as a source of national pride and a highlight of its technological advancement.

The journey is part of Türkiye's ambitious 10-year space road map, unveiled in early 2021, including missions to the moon and developing internationally viable satellite systems.

Türkiye established its own space agency in 2018, and said it will land on the moon by 2026.

The program envisages working with other countries to build a spaceport and create a global satellite technology brand.