Home Business A bridal necklace and Polish pierogi will be included in a journey to the International Space Station.

A bridal necklace and Polish pierogi will be included in a journey to the International Space Station.

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A bridal necklace and Polish pierogi will be included in a journey to the International Space Station.

WARSAW, Poland — Interesting personal items are scheduled to accompany astronauts on their anticipated journey to the International Space Station in the upcoming spring, although an exact date for the mission has yet to be announced.

The Axiom mission will include four astronauts hailing from various countries: the U.S., India, Hungary, and Poland. They will embark on their travels aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.

During a press conference, three of the participating astronauts shared their enthusiasm for the ongoing training as they prepare for the scientific and technological experiments they plan to administer during their nearly two-week stay in outer space. Tibor Kapu, the mission’s pilot, expressed the enjoyment of training, stating, “We must remind ourselves that space travel includes risks and significant challenges, but it is equally enjoyable. Training for a spaceflight is the next best experience, so we are truly having a wonderful time.”

S?awosz Uzna?ski-Wi?niewski noted that he found the most challenging aspects of preparation to be the “waiting and uncertainty,” as well as the difficulty of spending time away from family.

Josef Aschbacher, the head of the European Space Agency, highlighted the importance of space research for numerous strategic reasons, including issues of security. The crew members intend to bring along items that hold both national and personal significance.

Peggy Whitson, the mission commander and a retired U.S. astronaut with a doctorate in biochemistry, has chosen to take her wedding necklace along with photographs of her family and the crew. Meanwhile, Uzna?ski-Wi?niewski plans to bring freeze-dried traditional Polish pierogi, alongside poetry by Nobel laureate Wis?awa Szymborska, music by Frédéric Chopin, a piece of amber, and salt from the historical Wieliczka salt mine. He also carries a small flag that belonged to Poland’s first astronaut, Miros?aw Hermaszewski, originally worn during his 1978 journey into space.

Hungary’s Tibor Kapu will take with him a photograph of Bertalan Farkas, Hungary’s first astronaut who ventured into space in 1980, as well as photos of his family and the Hungarian flag. Kapu revealed that his fascination with space originated from watching Star Wars films. For Whitson, the inspiration came from the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969, while Uzna?ski-Wi?niewski felt a connection to space exploration due to being born on April 12—the same day that Yuri Gagarin completed the first manned space flight in 1961.

Indian pilot Shubhanshu Shukla could not participate in the press event, which took place at the well-known Copernicus Science Center in Warsaw and included Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Whitson, who has spent a record 675 days in space, reflected on how the unique experience forms a strong bond among crew members. She stated, “Space provides a distinctly different perspective, allowing you to view Earth amidst the vastness of the universe. This perspective emphasizes how our planet resembles a spaceship, and it is imperative that we take excellent care of it as it is very dear to us.”