Alper Gezeravcı addressed students aspiring to become astronauts, saying: ''The tasks we start today are the most obvious signs of the professions you can pursue in the future. In our homeland, in our country, this path is now open. Have no worries. If you have set your goal to become an astronaut, your current lessons in school are very important.''
Gezeravcı met with students from Diyarbakır Abdullah Tivnikli Project Anatolian Imam Hatip High School at the International Space Station (ISS).
Here are those questions and Gezeravcı's answers, which were both humorous and informative...
Q: Is space truly empty? What is it like up there?
Gezeravcı: It may look like a vast emptiness here. Even though we remain as a small dot within the vast emptiness of space, the image of Earth and your presence hold a great significance in our hearts.
Q: How do you fly in space?
Gezeravcı: There's no gravity; I lift my feet off the ground and float.
Q: What are you doing up there?
Gezeravcı: Our day here lasts within 90 minutes. In other words, we can complete an orbit around the Earth in 90 minutes.
Q: Can you see the Sun?
Gezeravcı: We can see the Sun, but looking at it with the naked eye is quite challenging. The Sun's rays are very intense on the ISS. Earth has a beautiful atmosphere that acts like our protective clothing, blocking many harmful rays when the Sun passes through it. This allows us to receive a more sheltered daylight. Even the reflection of sunlight inside the ISS can be very strong. When we see the Sun, the heating in that area becomes intense accordingly. On the other hand, when we move to the other side of the Earth, blocking the Sun, it becomes very dark and cold. The exterior of the station becomes very hot when exposed to sunlight and very cold when in shadow, but the interior remains at a constant temperature like a house.
Q: Can you see the Moon? Have you been there?
Gezeravcı: We came 400 kilometers from Earth, but our journey to the Moon requires a bit more distance. We have a longer way to go.
Q: Have you ever seen a black hole?
Gezeravcı: It hasn't been possible to see with the naked eye.
Q: Do the stars appear brighter there?
Gezeravcı: They appear a bit brighter from here.
Q: What are you doing in space?
Gezeravcı: We work like bees from 6 in the morning until 10 at night.
Q: Are there any aliens? What would you say if you saw one?
Gezeravcı: "I haven't seen any aliens yet, but if I did, I would probably say, 'I bring greetings from Furkan to you.' I guess they wouldn't do anything to me then. Just like your friends, maybe the aliens here also like you. I haven't encountered any aliens, but I'm curious too. If I learn about their existence, I'll definitely share something different with you when I return."
Gezeravcı gave the following answer to a question about how to become an astronaut: "The tasks we undertake today are the most evident signs of the professions you can pursue in the future. In our homeland, in our country, this path is now open. Have no worries. To become an astronaut, focus on your present. Consider the current period you are going through as steps of a staircase. If you have set your goal to become an astronaut, your current lessons in school are very important. School is a step of the staircase. Therefore, everything your teachers are showing you right now is valuable and significant. If you work well in your current class today, obstacles will be removed from your path in the future."
