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Suborbital:
- Probe rockets: TP and SR-0.1 series <136km
- Probe rocket: SR-1 100kg / 300km (end 2023)
Orbital:
- Simsek 1 and 2: 400kg - 1.5t / 550 - 700km (2027-28)
Private sector dynamism is at play.Fergani CEO Selçuk Bayraktar:
- Hopefully we will launch our first satellite into space this year.
- We are also working on orbital transfer vehicles.
- As a startup called Fergani, we aim to develop launch systems.
These two issues are directly related to our national independence:I understand that Turkiye feels proud for her first astronaut. However, let's be real, this has little scientific or capability value and rather is an expensive tourist mission.
The real news to be proud of was delivered by Fergani Space: Seems like Fergani will develop a launch system as well!
Fergani CEO Selçuk Bayraktar:
- Hopefully we will launch our first satellite into space this year.
- We are also working on orbital transfer vehicles.
- As a startup called Fergani, we aim to develop launch systems.
While Roketsan are tasked to make a space launch system their pace of progress is not assuring as they have multiple tasks at hand so it is very fortunate that private sector can take the risk of investing in this field.Tbh, I'd bet on Fergani Space to deliver Turkiye's revolution in space. Public institutions are slower than turtles.
I understand that Turkiye feels proud for her first astronaut. However, let's be real, this has little scientific or capability value and rather is an expensive tourist mission.
The real news to be proud of was delivered by Fergani Space: Seems like Fergani will develop a launch system as well!
Fergani CEO Selçuk Bayraktar:
- Hopefully we will launch our first satellite into space this year.
- We are also working on orbital transfer vehicles.
- As a startup called Fergani, we aim to develop launch systems.
Please do tell us , what would you do with 55 million dollars ?From what I understand, this is a commercial space flight:
Axiom is paying for the opportunity to visit the ISS. They're paying NASA for the training, for access to ISS crew members time, food, supplies, and another other expense that would be incurred by NASA to make this visit happen. They're also paying SpaceX for the ride to and from the ISS. NASA is basically saying here's a window of time that someone could put commercial visitors onboard the space station.
Then, AXIOM sells the seats to countries that want to send astronauts into space (~55 million dollars was the price per seat in the first mission)
Seems useful experience that is also much safer than starting from zero even if it is an expensive way to train astronauts. Starting from zero, imagine if the spacecraft blew up.
Also interesting business model for private space flight by AXIOM, SpaceX.
The question is whether AKP are using this just for elections, because that's a huge spend. Wonder what the next steps are.
Tuva Atasever will do another trip to Karman line with Virgin Galactic in a few months. That is much more touristy and I think is a bad use of resources. I do not think Turkey joining ESA will happen, and I doubt Turkey is interested in joining ESA astronaut program any longer. Not when you can just pay for it directly rather than dealing with bureaucratic hassle. TUA budget should be increased immensely.Wonder what the next steps are.
There is a space race going on after decades of stagnancy in this space and private companies in particular are running first to compensate the time lost as technology in other fields had advanced more than the advance in space sector. This race is to be further accelerated by the advent of Artificial Intelligence and humanoid robots. Smaller teams of astronauts can team up with a multitude of humanoid robots for a mission. Or more likely robot only missions can become a thing as it can make missions way more feasible when there is no human on board to look after. Imagine humanoid robots go on a Lunar mission and stay there all their lifetime while small amounts of supplies are also provided to them. When it is all very comfortable for humans to settle some small number of humans can also be deployed as a back up survival line for humanity.These two issues are directly related to our national independence:
- Work is underway on orbital transfer vehicles (one of the company's priority areas of activity, as previously announced).
- One of Fergani's main goals is to develop its own launch systems (so that covering all the necessary stages until the spacecraft are put into service)
These are very ambitious targets, but in fact, Turkiye has begun to accumulate the necessary experience to achieve these targets. Especially DeltaV is quietly breaking down all barriers. Turkiye's full independence in accessing space is one of our greatest debts to the next generation. Because if we leave this task to the next generation, it will be too late for some important opportunities. As far as I can tell, humanity is entering a new era of breakthroughs in its space adventure. I don't know if the analogy is correct, but I think we will enter a period of breakthroughs just like geographical discoveries around 15-19th century. Let alone the many areas that make our lives easier in the world; planetary access, exo-atmospheric manufacturing, and perhaps in the not too distant future, access to minerals will become technologically accessible. For a safer and more prosperous country, being in space will be like being in the seas and in the sky.
Once this stage is passed, the real breakthrough could be the start of additive manufacturing in space, which could usher in an era of interplanetary access.There is a space race going on after decades of stagnancy in this space and private companies in particular are running first to compensate the time lost as technology in other fields had advanced more than the advance in space sector. This race is to be further accelerated by the advent of Artificial Intelligence and humanoid robots. Smaller teams of astronauts can team up with a multitude of humanoid robots for a mission. Or more likely robot only missions can become a thing as it can make missions way more feasible when there is no human on board to look after. Imagine humanoid robots go on a Lunar mission and stay there all their lifetime while small amounts of supplies are also provided to them. When it is all very comfortable for humans to settle some small number of humans can also be deployed as a back up survival line for humanity.
Some humanoid robots are to be deployed at BMW factories in the US and the numbers will increase as they achieve targeted milestones. I would say it will not take more than 5 years until robots will be astronauts. Heel they can even learn by just watching things being done like an apprentice.
We can hopefully catch up with this wave by making launch systems and robots ready for this timeframe.
I think it's a bad start, our systems and vehicles should be in space first. I don't understand why it's so important for someone from Turkiye to go to space, it's like a touristic trip. It's a waste of money...we should build our own spacecraft and send our citizens to space with them. It would be more valuable that way.When we will reach the independence in accessing space within our own lands and with our own systems, we will tell our grandchildren about this day and how was started. Gezeravcı is the first step, we all know that this is not a tourism mission but the beginning of a whole story.
Taking human presence out of the game while still having human like skills on board can enable very fast progress in space industrialization as smaller and smaller materials will be required to do the same jobs as can be done with humans. This is like a booster behind a rocket that can propel space exploration to inhuman levels. Also manned flights can be conducted with the smallest number of crew while robots do the jobs. Even smaller rockets as can be afforded by smaller companies can do a good job.Once this stage is passed, the real breakthrough could be the start of additive manufacturing in space, which could usher in an era of interplanetary access.