ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey’s first astronaut returned home to a hero’s welcome Monday, portrayed as a symbol of the country’s advances in technology and aerospace.

Upon his return from a three-week mission to the International Space Station, Alper Gezeravci was welcomed by children holding bouquets at Ankara’s Esenboga Airport. As a gesture of gratitude, Gezeravci distributed Turkish flags that he had brought back with him from space.

The mission of Gezeravci has been closely monitored by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has deemed it as a “new symbol” of a Turkey that is becoming more powerful and assertive. This comes after the country celebrated its 100th anniversary last year.

Erdogan has communicated with Gezeravci, a 44-year-old ex-Turkish fighter pilot, multiple times since he departed for Florida to get ready for the task.

Axiom Space, in collaboration with NASA and SpaceX, organized a space trip for which Turkey paid approximately $55 million. This was the third journey of its kind.

The journey is viewed in Turkey as a symbol of national pride and a notable display of its progress in technology, particularly in the areas of aerospace and military advancements like aerial drones.

Minister of Industry and Technology, Mehmet Fatih Kacir, spoke to reporters at Esenboga Airport in front of a sign that stated “Turkey’s Inaugural Manned Space Mission”. Kacir stated that while this is the first mission, it will not be the last. He also mentioned that this is a significant step for Turkey in the field of space science and technology.

In 2018, Turkey created its own space organization and announced plans to successfully reach the moon by 2026.

Italian air force Colonel Walter Villadei and former fighter pilot Marcus Wandt from Sweden accompanied Gezeravci on the trip. They were accompanied by former NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria, who currently works for Axiom Space.

On Friday, the team arrived back on Earth in a SpaceX capsule that landed in the Atlantic Ocean near the coast of Florida via parachute.

During their time in orbit, the astronauts performed scientific experiments and engaged in conversations with schoolchildren and representatives from their respective countries. They had the opportunity to spend some additional days at the space station while waiting for better weather conditions in the designated splashdown area.

Source: wral.com