Turkish astronaut to make first flight in late 2023

Turkey’s first astronaut will travel to the International Space Station by the end of the year, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at the Teknofest aviation and space fair in Istanbul.

Air force pilot Alper Gezeravci, 43, was selected to be the first Turkish citizen in space. His backup is Tuva Cihangir Atasever, 30, an aviation systems engineer at Turkish defense contractor Roketsan.

"Our friend, who will go on Turkey’s first manned space mission, will stay on the International Space Station for 14 days. Our astronaut will perform 13 different experiments prepared by our country’s esteemed universities and research institutions during this mission," Erdogan said.

Erdogan described Gezeravci as a “heroic Turkish pilot who has achieved significant success in our Air Force Command.”