Erdogan unveils Turkey's first astronaut

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that Turkey's first astronaut will travel to the International Space Station by the end of the year.

Air Force pilot Albert Zhezravci, 43, has been selected to be the first Turkish citizen in space. His assistant is Tuva Jahangir Atasvir, 30, an aerospace systems engineer at the Turkish defense contractor Roketsan.

Erdogan made the announcement at Istanbul's Technovest Air and Space Show, the president's first public appearance since his illness during a television interview on Tuesday. Erdogan appeared alongside Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Libyan interim Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dabaiba.

Erdogan said: "Our friend, who will go on Turkey's first manned space mission, will stay on the International Space Station for 14 days... The astronaut will conduct 13 different experiments prepared by prestigious universities and research institutions of our country during this mission.

Erdogan described Çezravçi as a heroic Turkish pilot who achieved great success in our air command.