What experiments will Alper Gezeravcı, who will be the first Turk in space, carry out in space?

The passion for the sky was initiated by İsmail Cevheri, who made his flight attempt by jumping from the minaret of Ulucami in Nishapur in 1002. Ali Kuşçu, who started space studies with the observatory he established in Samarkand in 1403, mapped the Moon for the first time in the world.

The love of going to the Sky and Space has never ended among the Turks and has continued for centuries. In 1632, Hezarfen Ahmet Çelebi flew from the Galata Tower and flew to the falconers area on the opposite shore, and in almost the same period, Lagari Hasan Çelebi managed to go up to the sky and land in the sea with the rocket he built.

There were no new developments during the decline of the empire, but aviation activities, which started all over the world in the late 1800s, were restarted in the same years. The Turkish nation established the Air Force in 1911, using its historical aviation intellectual capacity.

For the first time in the world, an aircraft was used in war by the Italians against our army in the Tripoli War in 1912, and in the same war, the first aircraft was shot down by the Turkish army from the ground.

During the War of Independence, the struggle continued with the aircraft we could obtain, and our legendary aviators Vecihi Hürkuş, Tayyareci Fethi Bey, Salim İlkukçan, Feza Evrensev, Nuri Demirağ, Selahattin Reşit Alan and many other heroes developed our aviation with great sacrifices and efforts.

Just two years after the establishment of our Republic, the Turkish Aeronautical Association was established by our great leader Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK on February 16, 1925, and our aircraft were produced nationally and sold to foreign countries.

The great leader ATATÜRK, during his visit to Eskişehir 1st aircraft regiment in 1936, said: "One day, human beings will walk in the skies without aircraft, go to the planets, and maybe send us news from the moon." There will be no need to wait until the year 2000 for this miracle to occur. Developing technology is already giving us good news of this,” he pointed out these days.

Aviation studies in our country were suspended for a while with the grants and foreign aid made after our admission to NATO membership, but with the embargo applied after the Cyprus War, the importance of the issue was understood and with the "make your own plane" campaign that started in 1978, Defense and aviation studies gained momentum again and we reached today. We have come to the fore in the world with the capabilities we have gained in national combat aircraft construction and Unmanned aerial vehicles.

As a result of the intellectual accumulation gained by our Air Force over the years, Air Pilot Lieutenant Colonel Alper Gezeravcı, who was selected within the scope of our country's project to send astronauts to space, will experience a first for the Turkish nation and will go to space within the scope of Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3). This mission is of great importance for our country and our youth.

The space studies for the first Turkish space traveler Alper Gezeravcı consist of 13 experiments.

1.UYNA: New generation alloys for space:

It is aimed to make a significant contribution to gaining material development capability by working on the production of high-strength alloys that are resistant to high temperatures.

2.gMetal: The Effect of Non-Gravity Environment on the Dynamics of Solid Phase Particles in a Fluid

The effect of gravity on the formation of a homogeneous mixture between solid particles and the fluid medium under chemically non-reactive conditions will be investigated. Thus, the propulsion systems of spacecraft will be made more efficient.

3.Expert: Microwave Life Support Units for Space Missions:

It is aimed to develop a life support system to carry out growth and endurance tests of microwave species that have adapted to harsh conditions in the world under non-gravity conditions, to examine their metabolic changes, and to determine their carbon dioxide capture performance and oxygen production capabilities.

4. EXTREMOPHYTE: Investigation of the Responses to Salt Stress of the plant named "Schrenkiella Parvula", which is a class of salt-tolerant plants and grows in the Salt Lake, in a Space Environment.

5. METABOLOM: Analysis of Changes in Cell Metabolism of Astronauts on Space Missions and Creation of National Data Sets:

Spaceflight is one of the most demanding physical conditions humans can experience. During space missions, astronauts are exposed to environmental stresses such as low gravity, space radiation, varying physical activity, nutritional problems, insomnia, high g, and hyperoxia.

Our researcher aims to reveal the negative effects of space conditions on human health. In addition, in order to reduce these negative effects, it is aimed to examine the physiological and biochemical changes in the gene functions and metabolism of our astronauts participating in the space mission under the influence of space environment conditions.

This study aims to provide new information in understanding the possible risk factors for the health of our space travelers through system-wide changes in the body. It is also thought that it may be useful in developing new treatments and preventive measures for existing diseases on Earth.

6. MYELOID: Examination of the Effect of Radiation Exposure on Disease-Derived Suppressor Cells in Peripheral Blood, Which Are Precursor Lesions for Cancer, in Individuals Participating in Space Missions:

Myeloid (Disease)-derived suppressor cells are a population of different mutation cells that are produced at high levels in chronic inflammation processes such as cancer, causing immune suppression and supporting cancer progression and metastasis. This study aims to immunologically measure and evaluate the travel and space conditions and cosmic radiation damage that space mission participants will be exposed to at the cellular level.

7. MESSAGE: Microgravity-Related Genetics Science Mission: It is aimed to identify genes whose functions have not yet been discovered, which are affected by the non-gravity environment, and to determine which of the immune cells will be directly affected by gravity in space missions, with new gene engineering methods.

8. ALGALSPACE: A Comparative Study of Antarctic and Temperate Microalgae Cultivation in Space Conditions: By comparing the growth data of Antarctic and temperate zone microalgae in space, a study on the use of polar algae in space will be carried out for the first time in the literature. Algae in space will be researched for use in the areas of: reproduction of carbon dioxide and oxygen, additional food supply, water improvement, and life support.

9. CRISPR–GEN: Investigation of CRISPR Gene Editing Efficiency in Plants Under Microgravity: Plants, which are the skeleton of bioregenerative life support systems designed to solve the problem of not being able to provide a sustainable system in long-term space missions, which is one of the biggest obstacles to be overcome for the future of humanity in space, are used in space. It aims to investigate the effectiveness of the CRISPR technique, one of the modern gene editing techniques of molecular biology, on plants in the microgravity environment, in order to understand and develop the defense mechanisms against biological and non-biological stresses that occur during the mission.

10. PRANET: Antibacterial Effect of Propolis:

Propolis is a substance that is widely used in the treatment of various ailments and does not have any side effects when used externally. With the science mission, the effect of propolis substance on bacteria in the microgravity environment will be investigated. The antibacterial effect of propolis will be tested by creating control and experimental groups, and it will be compared whether the results will give similar results to the gravitational environment.

11. VOCALCORD: Detection of Vital Reactions to Living in Space with Vocal Cord Originated Changes and Identification of Disorders Caused by Low Gravity with Voice Frequencies:

Within the physiology of the respiratory system, it is aimed to detect disorders due to the frequency change in the voice with the support of smart watch artificial intelligence and to investigate the effects of the gravity-free environment on the human voice.

12. OXYGEN SATURATION: Identification of Disorders Caused by Low Gravity by Calculating the Oxygen Level of Exhaled Air with Artificial Intelligence Support within Respiratory System Physiology: The importance of early diagnosis is vital in the treatment of diseases. It is aimed to identify the differences and discomforts caused by low gravity by calculating the oxygen level of the supplied air with the support of artificial intelligence.

13. MIYOKA: Research on Lead-Free Soldering in Microgravity Environment:

With the lead-free soldering experiment to be carried out in a microgravity environment, the first Turkish space traveler will assemble lead-free components on the electronic board at the experiment station. Electronic cards that will be brought to the world after the space mission will be subjected to detailed examination by the TUBITAK Space unit and the effects of microgravity on the lead-free soldering process will be reported for the use of the scientific world.

The road is long, the duty is sacred. Alper Gezaravcı is a Turkish son who has the qualifications to succeed in this sacred duty. We wish you success in your sacred mission. It is our nation's greatest wish that space travel be accomplished safely.

For this mission, NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX will provide mission-long information regarding upcoming pre-launch and launch activities for the special astronaut mission to the International Space Station.

The takeoff of Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) will begin at 01:11 on the night between January 17 and January 18. .Wednesday, Jan. 17, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. After launching the company's Falcon 9 rocket, the crew will travel to the orbiting forward hub aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The docking of Ax-3 with the international space station is expected to be completed at 13:15 on Friday, January 19.

Live broadcasting from NASA:  https://www.nasa.gov/live

References

https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-sets-coverage-for-axiom-mission-3-briefing-events-broadcast/

Tübitak website

NASA Website