London: Turkish astronaut Tuva Cihangir Atasever spoke at an event in London on Friday, highlighting Trkiye's growing space program and the scientific effect of its first manned missions. The gathering at the Turkish Embassy was attended by Turkish Ambassador to London Osman Koray Ertas, Atasever, and numerous guests.

According to Anadolu Agency, Ertas emphasized the transformative potential of space research, stating, 'Not only space itself, but the scientific research conducted there holds the potential to change human history and the course of time.' He acknowledged Trkiye's accelerated efforts in space exploration, mentioning the completion of two manned missions, and stressed that the strategic investments by major countries and companies in space are pivotal. Ertas highlighted Trkiye's essential role in the global space race and recognized Atasever as a key contributor to these efforts.

Atasever revealed that 20 different scientific experiments were conducted during the two missions, marking Trkiye's initial steps in scientific work through manned space missions. He shared a quote from fellow astronaut Alper Gezeravci, emphasizing the significance of first steps in scientific endeavors. 'We all take hundreds or thousands of steps every day. Because they are so routine, we don't care about them. But every parent treasures their child's first step. We took our first step with scientific work,' Atasever noted.

He further explained that these experiments were crucial in developing technical and operational expertise within Trkiye. Atasever also outlined the goal of establishing a 'Microgravity Research Program' in Trkiye, an initiative that has been in progress since last July.

During the event, Atasever delivered a presentation detailing the space missions, preparation stages, and the future of scientific research in microgravity. Trkiye's first manned spaceflight to the International Space Station was completed in January 2024, followed by a suborbital flight in June.