“I proudly carried the Polish flag in space”

During the press conference, the astronaut thanked everyone who participated in the mission: from the Ministry of improvement and Technology, the Polish Space Agency (POLSA), the European Space Agency (ESA), global partners from NASA and AXIOM. “About 500 people from Poland and ESA worked on the mission,” said Uznański-Wiśniewski. He assured that each of them had gained huge experience and is ready to build equipment, conduct space operations Or experiments for our future.

Space Chance for Poland

The scientist declared that he would effort "to make the best usage of the impact of the space mission for the improvement of space industry, technology, discipline and education". He added that in the long run it is essential to build a very solid strategy to technologically be and become a European champion. “I hope that we will take advantage of this chance and our technology will develop,” emphasized the astronaut.

He besides expressed hope that in 5 years the Polish space sector would play a leading function in space technologies in Europe. As he said, he is happy to be an inspiration for young people who want to fly into space in the future, build space devices, or engage in space medicine.

Astronaut spoke of his plans for the next weeks. On a weekend in Łódź, he will meet with his closest household he has not seen since take-off, or more than a month. – Then in a fewer days I return to a facility in Cologne, Germany, where I will undergo further medical examinations and participate in medical research. This is simply a standard action against astronauts erstwhile they return from outer space – explained Uznański-Wiśniewski. On next Wednesday, July 30, Sławomi returns to the US for 2 weeks to "close the technological and method part of the research". Astronaut admitted that he would gladly participate in a task for Polish universities, in which he would conduct lectures on space technology. “This is what I want and I know that specified a program is being prepared,” he said.

Marta Wachowicz, president of POLSA, besides welcomed the astronaut at the airport. “The Polish Space Mission is simply a fresh phase for the Polish sector, we hope that you will be an ambassador to our technologies, our sector”, she said, addressing Uznański-Wiśniewski.

National hero safe ... delivered

In turn, Dr Josef Aschbacher, CEO of ESA, thanked the Polish government, the Polish nation and Polish Space Agency for providing support for the mission. – I am very happy to supply you with a national hero, Sławomir Uznański-Wiśniewski, back to the country. This is an crucial minute for Poland, but besides for me – Aschbacher noted.

There were respective twelve people waiting for the astronaut at the airport with Polish banners and banners, and the questions asked him children, who were interested, among others, erstwhile he would go into space again. - Soon, I hope. I think the next destination may be the Moon, but whether it will be for me, or if we will find out for you in the future – he replied and added that he hopes that we will not wait 47 years for another space mission with the participation of a Pole (so many years have passed since the space mission Mirosław Hermaszewski).

Polish experiments in space

Sławomi Uznański-Wiśniewski is the second Pole to fly into space. After 20 days in orbit (including 18 days at ISS global Space Station), he returned to earth before a week ago, but spent his last days at the European Centre of Astronauts of the European Space Agency in Cologne. At the centre of the German Aeronautics and Space Center, Envihab underwent rehabilitation, and the ESA Space medicine squad monitored his wellness and condition.

In nearly 3 weeks on the ISS, the Ax-4 crew carried out a full of 60 experiments from 31 countries. Pole in the IGNIS mission carried out 13 projects proposed by Polish scientists and companies, among them 2 prepared by a squad of Military method Academy.