NASA astronaut Deniz Burnham's message to Turkey ahead of 2027 space mission

Born at the Incirlik Air Base in Adana and selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in 2021, Deniz Burnham addressed Turkey ahead of her upcoming space mission in 2027, sharing her bonds with her family.

Turkey and Family Ties

Deniz Burnham, whose mother is Turkish and whose father is a U.S. soldier, was born at the Incirlik Air Base in Adana during her father's service there. In her video message, she emphasized her roots in Turkey and her love for her family.

Noting that her maternal grandmother Aynur is from Eceabat and her maternal grandfather Kadir is from Afyon, Burnham stated that she grew up eating Turkish dishes during her childhood and loved visiting Turkey on vacations.

The Origins of Her Fascination with Space

Explaining that her grandfather's great fascination with space influenced the whole family, Burnham mentioned that they spent hours watching stars and planets in the backyard with her grandfather, who made his own telescopes.

Deniz Burnham stated that when she goes to space, she will wave from space to her grandmother and grandfather, her fellow citizens in Adana, and the entire world.

Education and Career Background

Deniz Burnham completed her undergraduate degree in chemical engineering at the University of California, San Diego. Afterwards, she finished her master's degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

Having previously interned at the NASA Ames Research Center, Burnham served as an Engineering Duty Officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve. She is also a licensed private pilot.

Space Training Process

Selected by NASA to join the 2021 Astronaut Candidate Class, Burnham began her official duty in January 2022 and continued her preparations in this field.

Burnham is currently training for her first mission to the International Space Station aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-30 spacecraft, alongside cosmonauts Dmitri Petelin and Konstantin Borisov.