Question: Where exactly are you located, what is your position?
Gezeravcı: We are at an altitude of 400 kilometers above the Earth, on the ISS station. However, providing an exact location is not possible as the station changes its position at a speed of 500 kilometers per minute.
Q: Everything entering the atmosphere burns or melts; what is the spacecraft made of that it doesn't undergo the same fate?
Gezeravcı: The spacecraft is made with high-temperature-resistant outer coatings derived from ceramics and carbon fibers.
Q: Will there be a 5-centimeter increase in height upon return?
Gezeravcı: It would have been possible if stayed for longer durations, but not much changes in 14 days. By the way, space elongation is a serious health issue, just for your information.
Q: Which planets can be seen from the International Space Station (ISS)?
Gezeravcı: Due to the distance, only the Moon can be seen with the naked eye from the International Space Station (ISS).
Q: Is it really true that 7 days in space is equivalent to 7 years on Earth?
Gezeravcı: Even though we experience 16 sunrises and sunsets in a day, we are actually in the same time frame.
Q: Is the filming of this spacecraft done with a drone? How?
Gezeravcı: The filming is done with space station cameras and high-resolution cameras zoomed in from the ground.
Q: Why did the journey take 36 hours? Isn't that a long duration?
Gezeravcı: The destination, the ISS, is at an altitude of 400 kilometers, moving at a speed of 28,000 kilometers per hour. When the rocket was launched, it had already reached an altitude of 200 kilometers in the tenth minute. However, reaching the same point as the ISS, equalizing their speeds, and doing this in a single trip takes 36 hours with current technology, as the ISS changes its position at a speed of 500 kilometers per minute.
Q: When is the return?
Gezeravcı: The return is planned for February 3rd, but it may vary depending on the weather conditions since it will be in free-fall descent.
Q: How does the bathroom situation work in space?
Gezeravcı: Electric vacuum-like systems are available, which pull waste instead of letting it float in the air.
Question: How do liquids stay in place without dispersing?
Gezeravcı: They don't disperse due to surface tension (You can research surface tension in liquids for more information).
Q: Where does the food come from?
Gezeravcı: The food comes ready-made from Earth.
Q: How?
Gezeravcı: Through cargo missions and resupply missions.
Q: Can you describe the microgravity environment?
Gezeravcı: It's like being underwater.
Q: Is there motion sickness?
Gezeravcı: If you don't have vertigo, there won't be a problem.
Q: Does the capsule land randomly upon return?
Gezeravcı: No, due to the ISS's speed of 28,000 kilometers per hour, the return trajectory starts with a motion resembling a projectile motion in physics. After entering the atmosphere, the return path, which will turn into a vertical motion with two parachutes opening, is calculated. The descent point is determined in advance and planned. During the descent, the recovery team is ready to meet the capsule at the designated point on the water. You can check out the return video of Axiom 1 on my page if you're interested.
Q: How is sleep?
Gezeravcı: In the shapes you can see in the videos on my page, you can sleep by securing yourself. However, it is similar to sleeping in water since there is no gravity. You sleep comfortably without the pressure of body weight on you.
Q: The rocket was 70 meters tall, the capsule is small; where is the rest?
Gezeravcı: There is a three-stage ignition system. The first two stages, which contain a large amount of fuel and engines, separated shortly after the mission started. The first of these parts performed an automatic return, while the second was intentionally destroyed in a controlled manner. Only the capsule remained.
Q: How does having 16 nights and 16 days in a day work?
Gezeravcı: Due to the speed of the ISS, the Earth completes a full rotation every 90 minutes. Consequently, regions experiencing both night and day are passed over approximately every one and a half hours. About 16 orbits are completed in 24 hours.
Q: How many people are currently on the ISS, and how long are they staying?
Gezeravcı: Currently, there are a total of 11 people, including Alper Gezeravcı, on the ISS. The 7 astronauts, excluding the Axiom 3 astronauts, stay there for 6 months before returning.
Q: How is the ISS?
Gezeravcı: On my page, there is a video, and it's like a giant laboratory. It is located 400 kilometers above Earth and moves at a speed of 28,000 kilometers per hour. Constructed in space by 16 countries, it weighs approximately 450 tons, and continuous additions are made to it. With a cost exceeding 150 billion dollars, the facility is approximately the size of a football field.
Q: What do they do on the ISS?
Gezeravcı: Experimentation and observation.
