First Turkish Astronaut Returned To Turkey

Alper Gezeravcı, who landed at Esenboğa Airport in Ankara after his checks in the USA, was welcomed by Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Turkish Space Agency (TUA) President Yusuf Kıraç, TÜBİTAK President Hasan Mandal and Turkey’s second astronaut Tuva Cihangir Atasever.

Thirteen children waiting at the apron also handed flowers to Gezeravcı.

Gezeravcı gave the 13 Turkish flags that he had taken to the International Space Station and brought back to Earth to the children who gave him flowers.

“Gezeravci Is The First But Not The Last”

Congratulating Alper Gazeravcı, Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır said: “Alper Gezeravcı has successfully completed 13 scientific experiments in space. Alper Gezeravcı’s space science mission is a first, but it will not be the last. A new page has been opened for Turkey in space science and technologies.”

Gezeravci: This Was Just The Beginning

Answering the questions of the press members, Alper Gazeravcı said, “I am here with the happiness of reaching our goal.”

The highlights of Gezeravci’s speech are as follows;

• “This was just a beginning. It was not a story of getting somewhere. This success is the success of a child from every household in Turkey.”
• “Although we have never had a mission in this field in our history, we had a great preparation process with such a perfect synergy.”
• “I felt once again that we should be grateful for the blessings the world has given us. It is a wonderful opportunity to look at this great beauty from the outside. There is no area you can look at and not be mesmerized.

“There Was Never A Moment When I Felt Like I Was Struggling”

“I didn’t have any expectations about my health condition either during the departure or the return. I was wondering what I was going to experience. I was able to adapt to the possibility of movement in zero gravity without any problems. I had no problems with adaptation from the first minute. When we entered the larger volume from the capsule, an adaptation process was mentioned. I did not need any additional reinforcement. It was a different experience on the return route. There was no moment when I felt I was struggling.”

“I can very easily state that what we are doing is not space travel. Our hearts are at ease. We performed a very satisfactory mission there, at least on par with our counterparts, and in some points even more advanced, without any disruption.”

“I think we will have the opportunity to have a meeting with our President today, if his schedule permits”