Alper Gezeravcı, born on 7 December 1979 in Silifke district of Mersin, became the first person from Türkiye to travel to space. A military pilot and engineer by training, Gezeravcı achieved the distinction of becoming Türkiye’s first astronaut during the Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) in 2024, when he traveled to the International Space Station (ISS). The son of a Yörük family, he spent his childhood in various cities across Türkiye due to his family’s postings.

Gezeravcı’s career foundation was built on military discipline and engineering education. In 1993, he entered Işıklar Military High School and in 1997 was admitted to the Electronics Engineering department of the Air Force Academy in Istanbul. After graduating in 2001, he began service as a combat pilot in the Turkish Air Forces, flying numerous aircraft including the F-16, T-41, SF-260, T-37, T-38, F-5 and KC-135.

Gezeravcı continued his piloting career not only in the military but also in civil aviation, serving for seven years as a captain pilot for Turkish Airlines. He completed his master’s degree at the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in the United States, specializing in operational research.

Gezeravcı has held significant roles not only as a pilot but also as an instructor and evaluator. Most recently, he served as the Academic Wing Commander of the Standardization Squadron at the 10th Base Command in Adana, overseeing training, inspection and standardization processes for the fleet.

Known for his passion for sports and nature, Gezeravcı is also skilled in scuba diving, sailing, camping, mountaineering and horseback riding. He successfully completed numerous survival and demanding mission training programs during his military education.

In 2023, he was selected as Türkiye’s first astronaut from among thousands of candidates under the “Turkish Astronaut and Space Mission” project announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. After long and rigorous training, on 19 January 2024, he successfully traveled to the ISS aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Axiom Space-3 mission.

During his 21-day stay on the International Space Station, Gezeravcı successfully conducted 13 scientific experiments that enhanced Türkiye’s prestige and contributed to the global scientific community. He carried with him the Turkish flag, photographs of his family and symbols of Yörük culture, adding a personal dimension to this historic moment.

Alper Gezeravcı did not serve merely as a symbolic representative but worked as a scientist during his mission. Some of the experiments he conducted include:

• Miyeloid: The effects of space radiation on the immune system and blood cells.
• Extremophyte: The responses of Schrenkiella parvula, an endemic plant from Lake Tuz, to the space environment.
• Algalspace: The use of algae in space-based water and air systems.
• Pranet & Gmetal: The behavior of next-generation materials for defense industry applications in space.

Through these efforts, Türkiye obtained scientific data from its first human space mission for the first time.

After two delays, Gezeravcı and his crew returned to Earth on 9 February 2024, successfully landing in the Atlantic Ocean. Along with 250 kilograms of cargo retrieved from the ISS, he made concrete contributions to Türkiye’s space science and was honored with a major welcome ceremony upon his return.

On 12 September 2024, he was appointed to the newly established Space Command within the Turkish Air Forces, assuming a more active role in Türkiye’s military and civilian space projects. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Türkiye Space Agency (TUA).

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On the first anniversary of Türkiye’s first human space mission, a documentary was produced highlighting how Alper Gezeravcı, Türkiye’s first astronaut, signed off on 13 diverse experiments in biology, medicine, materials science and genetics aboard the International Space Station.

In interviews, Alper Gezeravcı frequently recalls Atatürk’s words, “The future is in the skies,” emphasizing that Türkiye’s first step in space will not be its last and that the younger generation will achieve even greater feats in this field. The knowledge, experience and observations he gained during his 21-day mission in space continue to serve as a guiding path for future generations.