Polish ESA Project Astronaut Sławosz Uznański to Join Axiom Mission 4 to the ISS

Polish ESA Project Astronaut Sławosz Uznański to Join Axiom Mission 4 to the ISS

(IN BRIEF) Polish ESA project astronaut Sławosz Uznański will fly to the ISS on Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), alongside astronauts from India and Hungary. This mission, supported by ESA and the Polish government, aims to conduct significant scientific and technological research. The crew will launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

(PRESS RELEASE) PARIS, 5-Aug-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Axiom Space has announced that Polish ESA project astronaut Sławosz Uznański is set to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4). This mission, a collaboration between Axiom Space, India, Hungary, and Poland through the European Space Agency (ESA), will send three national astronauts to the ISS.

Uznański has been designated as a mission specialist under the command of Peggy Whitson, Axiom Space’s chief astronaut. The other Ax-4 crew members include pilot Shubhanshu Shukla from India and mission specialist Tibor Kapu from Hungary. The deployment of the Ax-4 crew to the ISS is pending approval from the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel (MCOP), which consists of representatives from NASA, ESA, Roscosmos, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency.

Ax-4 represents the second commercial human spaceflight mission involving an ESA project astronaut. Sponsored by the Polish government and supported by ESA, the Polish Ministry of Economic Development and Technology (MRiT), and the Polish Space Agency (POLSA), this mission will feature an ambitious array of technological and scientific experiments. These experiments, proposed by the Polish space industry, will be developed under ESA’s guidance.

Daniel Neuenschwander, ESA’s Director of Human and Robotic Exploration, highlighted the significance of the mission: “ESA is continuing to support its Member States with exploration through commercial access to space. With the upcoming Ax-4 mission, ESA is working closely with Poland, helping drive forward technological advancements, and showcasing Poland’s capabilities in space exploration. This mission is a crucial step in advancing its technological expertise.”

Frank De Winne, ESA’s ISS Programme Manager, echoed these sentiments, stating, “ESA continues to embrace the evolving landscape of space exploration, emphasizing the importance of commercial ventures in shaping our journey beyond Earth. This mission signifies our ongoing commitment to innovation and collaboration with commercial partners, driving forward new opportunities for growth and scientific advancement.”

The Ax-4 crew will be launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, traveling in a Dragon spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. They will spend up to 14 days at the ISS, engaging in microgravity research and educational activities following their docking with the orbital laboratory.

Sławosz Uznański is currently undergoing rigorous training to prepare for the challenges of living and working in space. In August, he will join the rest of the crew for intensive training sessions at Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX facilities in the United States.

About the European Space Agency

The European Space Agency (ESA) provides Europe’s gateway to space.

ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world

ESA has 22 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia are Associate Members.

ESA has established formal cooperation with four Member States of the EU. Canada takes part in some ESA programmes under a Cooperation Agreement.

By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. It is working in particular with the EU on implementing the Galileo and Copernicus programmes as well as with Eumetsat for the development of meteorological missions.

Learn more about ESA at www.esa.int

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