Erdogan unveils Turkey’s first astronaut on election path

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan throws carnations as he greets folks at Teknofest airshow in Istanbul, Turkey April 29, 2023.
| Photograph Credit score: Reuters

Turkey’s first astronaut will journey to the Worldwide Area Station by the top of the 12 months, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated on April 29.

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Air Power pilot Alper Gezeravci, 43, was chosen to be the primary Turkish citizen in area. His backup is Tuva Cihangir Atasever, 30, an aviation techniques engineer at Turkish protection contractor Roketsan.

Mr. Erdogan made the announcement on the Teknofest aviation and area truthful in Istanbul, the president’s first public look since falling in poor health throughout a TV interview on April 25. He appeared alongside Azerbaijan’s president, Ilham Aliyev, and Libya’s interim Prime Minister, Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh.

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

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

The Turkish Area Company web site describes Mr. Gezeravci as a 21-year air power veteran and F-16 pilot who attended the U.S. Air Power Institute of Technology.

Sporting a purple flight jacket, Mr. Erdogan appeared in sturdy well being as he addressed crowds on the competition. Turkey’s presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled for Might 14, and opinion polls present Mr. Erdogan in probably his hardest race since he got here to energy twenty years in the past.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, accompanied by Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, greets folks at Teknofest airshow in Istanbul, Turkey April 29, 2023.
| Photograph Credit score:
Reuters

Turkey is coping with a chronic financial downturn, and the federal government acquired criticism after a February earthquake killed greater than 50,000 within the nation. Specialists blamed the excessive demise toll partly on shoddy building and legislation enforcement of constructing codes.

Whereas campaigning for reelection, Mr. Erdogan has unveiled plenty of prestigious initiatives, resembling Turkey’s first nuclear energy plant and the supply of pure fuel from Black Sea reserves.