Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski is set to become the second Pole to travel into space. Selected by the European Space Agency (ESA), he is awaiting launch as part of the Axiom-4 mission. The first Pole in space was Polish Air Force pilot Mirosław Hermaszewski, who made his flight 47 years ago. As he once said, being in outer space leads a person to ask profound questions about the meaning of human existence — and about the Creator of such a vast cosmos.

Uznański-Wiśniewski was initially scheduled to launch on May 29. Still, the historic flight has been postponed several times due to technical issues with the Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule, unfavorable weather conditions, and a malfunction of the Russian Zvezda module on the International Space Station (ISS).

Four-Person Crew

A new launch date is expected to be announced in the coming days. If all goes according to plan, the 41-year-old scientist from Łódź will become the second Polish person — after Hermaszewski — to reach space.

The mission commander is Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and current Director of Human Spaceflight at Axiom Space. The pilot will be Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Uznański-Wiśniewski and Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu will serve as mission specialists representing ESA.

Repairing the ISS

The mission is focused on scientific research and forms part of ESA’s ongoing programs. Uznański-Wiśniewski, who holds a doctorate in space systems engineering and is also a trained electronics engineer, is one of the four crew members.
In an interview with Polska Times, the Polish astronaut explained how his expertise fits into the mission.

“We know the ISS isn’t the newest piece of hardware — many of its components need replacing or repairing. These situations are becoming more frequent as the station ages. As a reliability specialist, I can calculate, estimate, and predict the likelihood of failures occurring. I also operate efficiently in high-stakes environments. I worked with the Large Hadron Collider, and had to master complex knowledge related to a highly unique scientific infrastructure — and the ISS is just such a place.”

Selected from 22,000 Candidates

Before being chosen for this mission, Uznański-Wiśniewski completed a highly demanding, multi-stage selection process in 2022 and was named to ESA’s 17-member astronaut reserve corps. He was selected from a pool of more than 22,000 applicants. Along with passing knowledge exams in a wide range of disciplines, he had to demonstrate his ability to respond to unpredictable situations, work effectively in teams, and navigate conflict.

He also emphasized in the interview that ESA’s space program offers new opportunities for Poland’s space industry. As a participating country, Poland’s investments in the program are almost entirely returned in the form of funding for Polish space projects.

Born on Gagarin Day

Uznański-Wiśniewski has dreamed of going to space since childhood. He was born on April 12 — the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s first spaceflight. And while he admits to feeling some understandable fear about flying aboard a rocket full of fuel, his excitement at the opportunity far outweighs any anxiety.

Questions About the Creator

Human spaceflight is not only a scientific endeavor, but also — as Mirosław Hermaszewski once said, recalling his journey aboard the Soviet Soyuz 30 — a near-mystical experience. He shared that he had undergone a spiritual transformation in space, and that many astronauts came to believe in God while they were there.

“When you’re up there, in that cosmic night, you see this vast blackness and more stars than on Earth — because there’s no atmosphere. And you begin to think: ‘How is it that I’m here? I, a human being. This goes against nature!” Hermaszewski said in an interview. “Then you begin to perceive things differently. What you first saw as aesthetics becomes something spiritual — even philosophical. You start asking fundamental questions. Not just: ‘What am I doing here?’ but: ‘How did all of this come to be? Where is that Someone?’ And He is.”

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