Tuva Cihangir Atasever is bracing to become Türkiye’s second astronaut, as he is planned to be sent on a flight to the edge of space in the coming months.
The suborbital ride follows the completion of the nation’s inaugural space mission by Alper Gezeravcı, who has become the first person from Türkiye to fly to space.
Gezeravcı on Friday returned to Earth from a three-week mission to the International Space Station (ISS). A former fighter pilot and captain for Turkish Airlines (THY), he was a member of the Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) crew that launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 19 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
Atasever was also a part of the historic Ax-3 mission as the backup mission specialist and joined Gezeravcı during his monthslong training in the U.S. before the spaceflight.
The expedition is seen in Türkiye as a source of national pride and a highlight of its technological advancement, especially in the field of aerospace and military development such as aerial drones.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan displayed a keen interest in the mission, having presented Gezeravcı and Atasever to the Turkish public last year.
Atasever is planned to be sent on a suborbital flight in April aboard a rocket plane operated by Virgin Galactic, the venture British billionaire Richard Branson founded in 2004.
During the journey, Atasever is expected to perform seven scientific experiments, he said last week.
While in orbit, Gezeravcı conducted about 13 experiments.
A suborbital flight refers to a trajectory of a spacecraft or vehicle that reaches the edge of space but does not complete a full orbit around a celestial body, such as the Earth.
Essentially, the vehicle goes up into space but comes back down to Earth without completing a full revolution around the planet. Suborbital flights are often used for scientific research, tourism or testing purposes.
Ambitious space road map
The missions are 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.
Industry and Technology Minister Fatih Kacır on Tuesday said Türkiye would meticulously evaluate the outcomes of scientific experiments conducted during Gezeravcı's mission and provide the necessary support for the continuation of such endeavors.
"We will finalize preparations for our next astronaut mission, ensuring that our second astronaut conducts scientific experiments during a suborbital flight in the near future," Kacır wrote on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
Outlining other details of the nation's space program, he emphasized Türkiye's commitment to advancing its presence in space exploration, leveraging domestic capabilities, and fostering international partnerhips.
Kacır said programs would be initiated aimed at conducting further scientific research on the International Space Station and strengthening international collaborations.
"We will assess potential international partnerships concerning other manned space missions," said Kacır. He noted the plans to launch research and development programs (R&D) for the enhancement of space stations and related systems in collaboration with institutions involved in their development.
"We will establish a space technology development zone in Ankara to bolster the space industry, aiming to secure a larger share of the global space economy, which amounts to $600 billion annually," the minister said.
He also highlighted efforts toward achieving independent access to space by pursuing projects for the development of launch vehicles and establishing a spaceport through international cooperation by 2030.
"We will execute our lunar program, reaching the Moon with a spacecraft designed and produced by our own engineers and scientists, equipped with propulsion systems developed domestically," said Kacır.
"This unmanned program will enable us to utilize innovative technologies in challenging space conditions, with the prospect of commercialization in the future."
Kacır also reiterated the plans to enhance Türkiye's capabilities in satellite imaging by progressively developing high-resolution and specialized imaging satellites.
He stressed plans to launch the first national communication satellite, Türksat 6A, in the near future, which will position Türkiye among the top 10 countries in this field.