Alper Gezeravcı reveals the dish he misses the most

Turkey's first astronaut, Alper Gezeravcı, answered questions from journalists from the International Space Station (ISS) during a press conference held at the Turkish Space Agency (TUA), with the participation of Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology Ahmet Yozgatlıgil and TUA President Yusuf Kıraç.

In response to the question, "You have gone down in history as Turkey's first astronaut. How do you feel?" Gezeravcı replied:

"It is impossible to compare my feelings to any emotion I have experienced until today. This is an extraordinary happiness and pride. These emotions do not even fit in one's heart. I am incredibly happy to be a part of this very valuable and important mission, for which our country and state have demonstrated their will, and to have been able to carry the dreams of our future generations beyond the sky, into the depths of space. Every time I pass by the place where our glorious flag, which brought me here, is hanging on the station, I feel the happiness, pride, and excitement that our state, which stepped here with its will and determination, has given our nation, and I get goosebumps. Knowing that my country is with me and feeling its support is very valuable; the pride it gives me is immense. I can describe space and this station, which has become a symbol of a permanent human presence in space, but it is very difficult to describe the pride I feel."

"IT WAS FAR BEYOND EVEN MY DREAMS"

Gezeravcı gave the following answer to the question, "What changes have occurred in your life since the day you participated in the selection process to become an astronaut?":

"Even though I have been a jet pilot for years, serving my country in a field that I had not even thought of until the moment our National Space Program was announced was far beyond even my dreams. Following a selection process worthy of this mission, I received all the training an astronaut should receive to carry out my country's first manned space mission. I adopted a new way of life specific to this mission, and from that moment on, I became completely channeled into this new task."

Regarding the question about what kind of training he received before going to the ISS, Gezeravcı said, "We received low-pressure chamber and centrifuge training to meet the physiological requirements of the mission. We developed our physical capabilities to perform our duties while our bodies were exposed to gravitational force. We received training on the normal operation of the Dragon spacecraft and emergency scenarios for every possibility. We learned the normal operation and emergency procedures of the space station. We completed the theoretical and subsequent practical training for our own specific mission and the scientific experiments we will conduct. We received survival training for emergency scenarios we might encounter during the return process to Earth, such as landing in water."

WHAT DID HE EXPERIENCE DURING THE LAUNCH PROCESS?

Describing what he felt during the launch process, Gezeravcı said, "After a long and arduous preparation process, knowing that the moment our nation was eagerly waiting for had finally arrived, and that my entire country was following this launch process with one heart in front of their screens, moved me deeply; I smiled, and the happiness inside me could not fit into my body. I thought about this incredible process I was experiencing and how extraordinary the moment I was in was. I pinched myself, but unfortunately, that was not possible in an astronaut suit. On the other hand, I was repeating in my mind the reactions we would show and the procedures we would apply in possible emergency scenarios. These are also pieces of information that might be needed on this mission, and therefore it was very important to be ready at every moment."

Pointing out that his facial features look more swollen than on Earth because fluids that should be distributed throughout the body accumulate in the upper parts due to the lack of gravity, Gezeravcı said that they apply special exercise programs to prevent the loss of bone density and muscle mass.

Gezeravcı noted that some vision problems and immune system weaknesses can also occur due to the change in pressure in body fluids, saying, "Thank God, I have not experienced such a problem so far. Continuous research is being conducted by both Turkish and foreign scientists to understand the effects of living in space on the body and to develop precautions against them. In fact, I am also conducting some studies and collecting data here to contribute to the work of Turkish scientists on this subject."

12-15 TASKS DAILY

Regarding the question about how he spends his time on the ISS, Gezeravcı made the following assessment:

"My life on the ISS was planned in all its details by a large team long before I came here. I start my daily work by having a planning meeting with the mission control center. I perform an average of 12-15 different tasks daily, each of different length and content. Among these tasks are the scientific experiments we brought here from our country, the monitoring of observation points we identified on Earth, the fulfillment of responsibilities defined for me within the station, the realization of different broadcast connections such as the ones we are making with you, the performance of our health tests, and the collection of medical samples, which are tasks that truly require extreme attention and energy. In this limited time, there are many scientific experiments and studies that I need to carry out on behalf of Turkish scientists. I have to use my time very well and complete all planned activities completely, just as we have been preparing for months."

"THE DISH I MISS THE MOST IS GÜVEÇ"

Regarding the activities of other astronauts on the ISS, Gezeravcı stated, "With our arrival, for the first time in the 25-year history of the ISS, astronauts from so many countries are here at the same time. Currently, astronauts from 7 countries and 9 different nationalities are working together here. We spend time with all of these friends and perform some activities together. For example, we do our experimental work alone, but we work together and help each other in some video and photo shoots that we perform to send to Earth. If we do not need to be in a different place due to our planned activities, we also come together for meals."

Alper Gezeravcı also gave the following answer to questions regarding nutrition activities:

"Our nutrition routine is the same as on Earth. As soon as we arrived in the USA in April, we chose the food and drinks we would consume in space. We tried about 70 food and 30 beverage alternatives accompanied by food engineers and determined our preferences. The main criterion when determining food and drinks was to meet the daily targeted calorie amount and to eat healthily. Afterwards, the food and drinks we determined were prepared in accordance with the duration we would stay at the station and were packaged to be transported as cargo before the launch. In fact, our food was sent here before we even arrived at the space station. All of these special foods were protected without air in vacuum packages during production. Thus, they both maintained their freshness for long periods and did not spoil. One of the aspects of our Turkish cuisine that delights guests coming to our country from outside the most is our food. The dish I miss the most is güveç (stew)."