At precisely 7:31 a.m. British Summer Time on Wednesday, a Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon capsule lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Cape Canaveral, Florida. On board the privately funded Ax-4 mission is Polish astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, marking a landmark moment for Poland’s ambitions in space exploration.
The spacecraft is now en route to the International Space Station, with docking scheduled for around 12:00 p.m. BST on Thursday. The mission crew comprises four astronauts, including Uznański-Wiśniewski, representing a collaborative international effort under the banner of Axiom Space’s fourth private mission to the ISS.
Approximately 75 seconds after launch, as the rocket reached an altitude of 13 kilometres and a velocity of over 1,400 km/h, it passed the ‘max Q’ point – the phase of maximum aerodynamic pressure and one of the most critical moments of ascent.
Two minutes and 26 seconds into the flight, the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket – the booster – successfully separated at an altitude of over 68 kilometres. Moments before the five-minute mark, mission control and Ax-4 mission commander Peggy Whitson confirmed that the capsule was on a “nominal trajectory”, meaning it was on track for a planned rendezvous with the ISS.
At seven and a half minutes into the mission, the reusable first stage touched down safely back at Cape Canaveral. Just over two minutes later, the rocket’s second stage detached from the Dragon capsule, which by then had reached Earth orbit at an altitude of 198 kilometres, travelling at more than 27,000 km/h.
Once safely in orbit, the astronauts took turns delivering brief addresses. Uznański-Wiśniewski addressed the Polish nation with an emotional message:
“Dear Poles, today we take a giant leap towards a technological future for our country – one rooted in science, knowledge, and vision. Let this mission mark the dawn of a new era, in which our courage and perseverance shape a modern Poland for generations to come.”
He added:
“Space has always united humanity. I carry with me a piece of every one of you – your strength, your hope, your trust. I may be alone in space, but I represent us all. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Space for everyone.”
The launch drew a wave of congratulations from across Poland’s political spectrum.
President Andrzej Duda posted on X (formerly Twitter):
“This moment is not only a technological milestone, but also a profound symbol. Let this flight inspire young Poles to dream boldly, even of the seemingly impossible.”
He continued: “Today is a great day for global science and Poland. The Republic once again takes its place in the pages of great history. Godspeed, Mr Uznański – the whole country looks to the skies with you. We send our heartfelt congratulations and best wishes for a successful mission.”
Prime Minister Donald Tusk watched the launch live from Warsaw’s Copernicus Science Centre alongside Minister of Development and Technology Krzysztof Paszyk. “We did it! Poland has reached for the stars,” Tusk wrote on social media.
Paszyk added: “We’ve just witnessed the symbolic opening of Poland and its education system to the cosmos.”
Minister for Science and Higher Education Marcin Kulasek echoed the sentiment:
“He’s off! Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (@astro_slawosz) becomes the second Pole in history to venture into space. It’s a historic moment not just for Poland, but for European science and technology as a whole. We’re wishing the crew a safe mission and return. Sławosz, we’re with you!”
Senate Marshal Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska remarked: “We proudly watch as our compatriot sets off for the stars.”
The Polish Space Agency summed it up with a celebratory message: “Go IGNIS! Go Axiom-4! Go @astro_slawosz!”
Source: PAP
Photo: X @PLinIndia
Tomasz Modrzejewski
