Commenting on the space expedition he will undertake today, Atasever said: “During the flight, the Azerbaijani flag will be on my chest, right next to the Turkish flag. Just as the flags of these two countries stand side by side on Earth and these two nations stand shoulder to shoulder, they will be side by side on my space flight too,” he said.
Atasever said that the Turkish Space Science Mission's Suborbital Research Flight taking place today is a training step designed as part of the Ax-3 mission, which will begin in Houston, USA, in April 2023 and reach the International Space Station (ISS).
Therefore, Atasever stressed that this was a space flight that they would carry out “at no additional cost” and said:
“As the Ministry of Industry and Technology, TÜBİTAK UZAY and the Turkish Space Agency (TUA), we have turned this educational step into a scientific mission. We have selected 7 different scientific experiments. We have been working on their integration into the spacecraft for months. We hope that the experiments we will conduct within the scope of this flight will make a significant contribution to space science and research in our country.”
He is making final preparations before his flight to the USA.
Atasever said they traveled to the Axiom Space facilities in the U.S. on May 28 to conduct some studies on their experiments and are now at the spaceport in New Mexico, where the launch will take place.
Atasever said they had been undergoing flight training throughout the week, explaining that they had been conducting aerobic flights in high-maneuverability aircraft to test the experimental equipment they would carry in the microgravity environment.
Atasever also gave the following information about the items he will take with him into space:
“The flag presented by our President at our presentation at TEKNOFEST in April 2023 will be with me. The flag of Azerbaijan, my mother's hometown, will be on my chest, right next to the Turkish flag. As well as the flags of these two countries, they will be side by side on Earth and my space flight will be side by side. Also, some small items given to me by my family and close colleagues to take into space.” will be with me.
Atasever will begin his space journey with the vehicle “VSS Unity”
Atasever's space expedition, which is being carried out today from the spaceport in New Mexico, USA, is of particular importance with regard to the spacecraft on which it will fly.
“VSS Unity,” Virgin Galactic’s second space flight this year and the twelfth to date, in which Atasever will also participate, will be retired after this flight.
Carrier takes off with plane
“VSS Unity”, with which Atasever will travel into space, is characterized by a reusable suborbital spacecraft powered by a hybrid propulsion system.
According to information on Virgin Galactic's website, VSS Unity's hybrid rocket engine can reach a speed of three times the speed of sound in about 60 seconds.
“VSS Unity” takes off with a specially built, four-engine, double-hull carrier aircraft with high altitude and high payload capacity.
This carrier aircraft, also called a mother ship, can reach an altitude of about 50,000 feet. This altitude is well above the level at which a normal airplane or transport aircraft can fly.
The rocket continues its space journey by igniting its engine
During the “Galactic 07” flight, in which Tuva Cihangir Atasever will also participate, the “VSS Unity” space probe with the carrier vehicle is expected to reach an altitude of about 45,000 feet and then an altitude of about 90 kilometers before the ignition of the hybrid rocket engine.
From the moment the rocket engine stops burning, it is expected to enter the free fall phase and from that moment on microgravity conditions will prevail.
After the free fall phase, which will last about three minutes, the vehicle is expected to re-enter the atmosphere and glide to the runway from which it took off.
Two experienced pilots will lead the flight to ensure a smooth and safe journey to and from space.
The first flight took place in 2018
VSS Unity completed its first space flight on December 13, 2018. During this flight, the vehicle launched from the Mojave Air and Space Port in California and reached space for the first time. The second flight, which took place on February 22, 2019, involved the two Virgin Galactic pilots and a crew member.
The flight system was further tested during the “Unity 21” flight, the first flight from the spaceport, on May 22, 2021.
Virgin Galactic's first fully manned space flight, “Unity 22,” took place on July 11, 2021. Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson took part in the flight alongside three company employees.
The final evaluation of the entire space system and the astronaut experience before the start of commercial service was carried out with the “Unity 25” flight on May 25, 2023.
Virgin Galactic’s first commercial spaceflight with paying passengers, “Galactic 01,” took place on July 29, 2023.
Virgin Galactic is dedicated to producing next-generation Delta spacecraft
While the “Galactic 07” flight, which Atasever will participate in, is important because it will be the last commercial flight of VSS Unity, it will represent a historic turning point as Virgin Galactic dedicates its resources to the production of the new generation Delta spacecraft, which are expected to enter service in 2026.
Virgin Galactic announced on May 6 that it has opened a new systems integration facility for Delta-class spacecraft in Southern California.
The statement said that Delta-class spacecraft were built to carry out 8 space missions per month with a capacity 12 times the monthly capacity of VSS Unity.
Bir yanıt yazın