‘All systems good’: SpaceX greenlights mission as less than hour remains for Gezeravci’s launch

Alper Gezeravci, Turkiye’s first astronaut, will board Space X’s Falcon 9 rocket

“All systems are looking good for today’s launch,” announced SpaceX on Thursday as hours remained of the start of the Ax3 mission as Turkiye’s first astronaut Alper Gezeravci geared up for the launch of SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that will carry him and the Ax-3 crew to the International Space Station (ISS).

The Falcon-9 rocket is set to launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A in Florida at 4:49 p.m. EST (GMT0049).

The Ax3 crew comprises of Turkish, Spanish, Italian and Swedish astronauts who will be stationed at the International Space Station.

The selection of Colonel Gezeravci, a distinguished Turkish Air Forces F-16 pilot, as Turkiye’s first prospective space traveler was announced last year at TEKNOFEST, a major technology event.

Turkiye has been making significant strides in its space exploration efforts, establishing the Turkish Space Agency in 2018.

The agency unveiled its space program in 2019, expressing its ambitious goal of launching a crewed mission into space, a milestone that the Ax3 mission is poised to achieve.

Source: Newsroom