Scientific goals for the Ax-3 space mission announced
Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3), the first commercial astronaut mission covering Europe, will conduct numerous scientific research projects for the benefit of Turkey and the world.
AA
Participants of the Ax-3 mission, which will travel to the ISS, provided information on the international scientific research to be conducted within the scope of the mission during an online press conference.
TÜBİTAK SPACE Project Manager Ömer Ataş stated in his speech that there will be opportunities to carry out many different scientific studies within the scope of the space mission.
'WILL HELP UNDERSTAND THE HUMAN BODY'S POSSIBLE REACTION TO SPACE CONDITIONS'
Responding to questions about the potential contributions of the research to Turkey and the world, Ataş said, "I can say that every experiment in the studies will provide new information that will give other scientists a more comprehensive picture of biological, chemical, and physical phenomena. Every experiment is for the benefit of Turkey. Another important benefit of the experiments is for human research. These studies will help to understand the human body's possible reaction to space conditions."
Stating that the experiments and research to be conducted by Turkish universities and research groups within the scope of the mission will be extremely important steps, Ataş noted that these will help scientists gain information about the dynamics of particles in hybrid propulsion systems for more efficient combustion systems.
The meeting was also attended by Axiom Space Chief Scientist Dr. Lucie Low, Axiom Space Director of In-Space Manufacturing Jana Stoudemire, Colonel Domenico Antonacci from the Italian Air Force Space Policy and Operations Office, Dr. Barbara Negri, Head of the Flight and Scientific Research Department of the Italian Space Agency, Physicist Hasan Ersel Gürel from the Turkish Space Agency (TUA), Dr. Kristine Dannenberg, Head of Space Exploration and Access at the Swedish National Space Agency, and Dr. Julia Weis, Team Leader for Utilization Planning and Integration at the European Space Agency.
Last month, Ax-3, the first commercial astronaut mission covering all of Europe to go to the ISS, held its first roundtable meeting online with the participation of astronauts Michael Lopez-Alegria, Walter Villadei, Marcus Wandt, and Alper Gezeravcı, the first space traveler to participate in the flight from Turkey.
Gezeravcı stated that he was honored and proud to be the first Turkish astronaut to go to space, saying, "I am grateful to my country and the government for giving me this chance, not just for myself, but for the future of the young Turkish generation."
HOW WILL AX-3 WORK?
Ax-3 is redefining the path to low Earth orbit for countries around the world.
The mission also represents a shared commitment to scientific discovery, technological advancement, education, and commercial innovation in a region of the world.
The flight, which is planned to be launched in January 2024 and is expected to last approximately 14 days, will be carried out by Axiom Space using SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft.
The spacecraft will launch from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and fly from there to the International Space Station. When the mission is completed, it will splash down in the ocean.