On January 18, 2024, Turkish astronaut Alper Gezeravci achieved a historic feat by becoming the first Turk to join the ISS (International Space Station). This 14-day mission, carried out in partnership with the company Axiom Space and NASA, marks a proud moment for Turkey and its President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who hailed this achievement as a symbol of “power”.
Alper Gezeravci, a 43-year-old fighter pilot with 21 years of experience in the Turkish Air Force, joined the ISS alongside three other European astronauts aboard a private shuttle. This mission is of particular importance for Turkey, which sees it as an affirmation of its status as an increasingly powerful country on the international scene.
President Erdogan himself supported and highlighted this mission during the May 2023 presidential election. He underlined the importance of this achievement for the country and expressed confidence in the role of the Turkish astronaut for galvanize national pride and inspire youth.
However, some experts stress that this mission does not necessarily mean that Turkey will play a leading role on the world political stage. Fluctuations in its foreign policy and its involvement in conflicts like that between Russia and Ukraine have made it difficult for Ankara to have a significant impact on the global political agenda.
Nevertheless, Turkey is pursuing a serious space program with its satellites and its space agency created in 2018. The objectives of the Turkish space strategy include in particular sending a Turkish astronaut to the ISS, which represents the first of ten objectives of this strategy.
For Turkey, this historic event is a validation of its technological goals and a way to strengthen national pride. The director of the Gühem Space and Aviation Center, Halit Mirahmetoglu, also hopes that this mission will help usher in a new era of scientific innovation and international collaboration.
Alper Gezeravci himself is aware of the symbolic significance of his mission and sees this as the means to achieve the objectives of their space studies. It carries with it the dreams of the Turkish people into the depths of space.
In conclusion, Turkish astronaut Alper Gezeravci’s mission to the ISS represents a historic moment for Turkey. This demonstrates the country’s ambition to become a major space nation and enhance its national pride. While this does not necessarily guarantee a leading role on the global political stage, the achievement marks an important step in Turkey’s efforts to position itself as a space power.