NASA award-winning Turkish brothers leave for London

Turkish siblings who could not receive a NASA award they had won, due to lack of funds, left for the U.K. on Thursday.

Serhat Yüksel, 18, and Onur Yüksel, 17, came second in the NASA Space Apps Challenge for their project of producing oxygen from the soil in Mars.

The Yüksels took a flight from capital Ankara via Istanbul to London.

National flag carrier Turkish Airlines and the Anatolia People and Peace Platform (AHBAP) sponsored them.

The brothers' family, as well as members of AHBAP in Ankara, bid them farewell at the airport.

Turkish singer Haluk Levent, who is also the founder of AHBAP, spoke to the Yüksel brothers in a video call.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Levent said that AHBAP was only a link between the sponsors and the Yüksels to make their dreams true.

"We have founded AHBAP for solidarity, for such things. Now those kids are like my cousins, I feel so close [to them]," he said.

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Anadolu Agency had highlighted their call for financial support.

In May, Turkish Airlines announced its sponsorship for round-trip tickets.

"The tickets for our young people whose dreams are beyond the sky are on us. Come on, youth! We believe in you!," the Turkish Airlines had posted on Twitter.

"Of course, we will welcome the young assets of our country in Business Class," Turkey's flag carrier added.

Ebru Kurt, owner of an overseas education consultancy firm, contacted AHBAP to undertake accommodation expenses for a month while another volunteer who prefers to remain anonymous, will undertake other expenses.

Ebru Yüksel, their mother, said this trip for her boys was nothing short of a miracle.

"We are very excited. My children are very excited and happy. We never expected that this would come to this point. I would like to thank everyone who contributed," she said, adding it was the first time she was sending them away for so long.

Onur said they were happy about going to London.

Serhat said the language course they will attend will help them in the future.

The brothers participated in the NASA Space Apps Challenge held in April 2017 organized by NASA's Turkey representation in cooperation with Middle East Technical University (ODTU).