In 2024, a momentous event in Polish space history is on the horizon, with Sławosz Uznański preparing to travel to the International Space Station. Following the interstellar trail blazed by Mirosław Hermaszewski in 1978, he will be the second Polish individual to venture into the vastness of outer space.
On August 8 of this year, it was revealed that the second Pole in history is slated to journey into space. The Minister of Development and Technology, Waldemar Buda affirmed this development, emphasising the historical significance by stating – „History is unfolding right before our eyes. Our second astronaut in the history of Poland will undertake a space mission. We proudly introduce our candidate, Sławosz Uznański.”
The Polish astronaut has not revealed the flight date yet. Sławosz Uznański, speaking at the Łódź picnic, mentioned that discussions with international partners are ongoing, and an official date has not been determined at this time.
He is undergoing an intensive training and familiarisation program to meet the rigorous standards required for space travel.
„I can’t wait. I would like to be well prepared for this flight. What I feel is great respect for this rocket for its energy that carries the astronauts into orbit. There is certainly some fear, but there is also a lot of excitement on my part.”
Born in Poland in 1984, Sławosz has a background in space systems engineering and has conducted research on radiation effects. He recently held the position of Engineer in Charge of CERN’s largest accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider.
https://twitter.com/astro_slawosz/status/1729754676659122212?s=20
Expressing his enthusiasm, Sławosz stated – „I’m very happy to get the chance and participate in ESA’s astronaut training familiarisation for a future spaceflight opportunity. Space has always been very close to my heart, and I’ve always considered myself a natural explorer. The past years have seen a massive push in developing technologies and research within low Earth orbit, so I’m looking ahead to extremely exciting times.”
Author: Patrycja Bodzek-Kurzynska
Photo: Twitter / @StateOfPoland
