The first Turkish astronaut embarked on a journey to the International Space Station (ISS) alongside three European crew members in the latest commercial mission by the Texas-based start-up, Axiom Space.
The Dragon spacecraft, operated by SpaceX, carrying the four astronauts, was launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket just an hour before sunset from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA, marking the beginning of a 36-hour journey to the ISS.
The live broadcast shared by Axiom and SpaceX showcased the launch of the towering, two-stage rocket that rose into a somewhat cloudy sky above Florida's Atlantic coast.
The Dragon is expected to dock with the ISS early on Saturday, where seven current crew members await their arrival at the space station, which orbits approximately 400 kilometers above Earth.
Axiom-3, as the mission is known, represents the third of its kind organized by Axiom Space in just two years. The company's business model revolves around sending privately-funded astronauts, sponsored by foreign governments and private entities, to space.
Axiom Space charges at least $55 million per individual for each trip to the ISS.
The crew of Axiom-3, including the first Turkish astronaut, Alper Gürsoy (44), a former Turkish Air Force pilot, is scheduled to spend nearly 14 days aboard the ISS conducting over 30 scientific experiments, most of which focus on the effects of space travel on human health.
This symbolic mission reflects the growing number of countries exploring space travel as a means to bolster their global status, military capabilities, and satellite-based communications.
Turkey, long aspiring to join the European Union, joins the exclusive club of visiting countries to the ISS with Alper Gürsoy's participation in the Axiom-3 mission.
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