Turkey’s Second Astronaut to Launch into Space on June 8th!
Turkey’s second astronaut, Tuva Cihangir Atasever, is set to embark on a suborbital research flight on June 8, 2024, from the Spaceport facilities in New Mexico, USA. The ‘VSS Unity’ suborbital vehicle will carry Atasever on this approximately 1.5-hour flight, reaching altitudes of 45 thousand feet and 90 kilometers to conduct 7 experiments in a microgravity environment.
Announced by Turkish Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Atasever’s mission is focused on conducting 7 different scientific experiments, including insulin pen efficiency in space, ionizing radiation dosimeter analysis, and vesicle analysis in a suborbital flight. Additionally, experiments examining astronaut immune responses, metabolomics at a molecular level, and brain activity in space will be carried out.
Collaborations with institutions like Axiom Space, METU IVMER, and Bilkent University aim to gather valuable data on the effects of space conditions on human health and provide insights into adaptation therapies for astronauts. The mission will contribute to understanding potential health risks for astronauts and pave the way for future studies in gravity physiology and space medicine.
Tuva Cihangir Atasever’s mission marks the last flight of Galactic 07, where VSS Unity will function as a suborbital science laboratory, conducting experiments under human supervision. Supported by NASA’s Flight Opportunities program, the mission will also feature autonomous payloads from Purdue University and UC Berkeley, enhancing research capabilities in space exploration.
As Turkey continues to make strides in space research and exploration, Atasever’s upcoming suborbital flight represents a significant milestone in advancing scientific knowledge and technological innovation in the field of astronautics.
