ESA Project Astronaut Sławosz Uznański takes centre stage for the unveiling of Ignis—Poland’s first mission to the International Space Station, scheduled for no earlier than Spring 2025.
Assigned to Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), Sławosz will serve as a mission specialist, conducting scientific experiments and supporting the mission’s objectives. He is joined by assigned crew members pilot Shubhanshu Shukla from India and mission specialist Tibor Kapu from Hungary, under the command of Peggy Whitson, Axiom Space’s Director of Human Spaceflight and former NASA astronaut. This mission will make Sławosz the first Polish national to visit the International Space Station and the second Pole in space.
Named after the Latin word for ‘fire,’ Ignis symbolises the spark of a new era in Poland’s space exploration. The mission patch reflects this ambition, featuring a red and white eagle with wings inspired by the Orla Perć mountain range, stars forming the Scutum constellation and a silver horizon representing the dawn of a new era in space exploration.
Sponsored by the Polish government and supported by ESA, Ignis includes a programme of innovative research in microgravity and educational outreach. Experiments proposed by Polish space industry and developed under ESA’s lead showcase Poland’s growing contributions to international space exploration.
Learn more about the Ignis mission name and patch here.