WARSAW, Poland — A fascinating blend of personal keepsakes is set to accompany astronauts on their upcoming journey to the International Space Station (ISS) slated for spring, although the exact launch date remains unconfirmed. Among the cherished items are a wedding necklace, traditional Polish dumplings, and a photograph of Hungary’s inaugural astronaut.
The crew, part of Axiom Mission 4, comprises four astronauts from the United States, India, Hungary, and Poland. They will be embarking on this adventure onboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, in collaboration with NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA).
During a press briefing held on Wednesday, three astronauts expressed their excitement about their training experience, which includes rigorous preparation for various medical and technical experiments planned for their nearly two-week sojourn in space. “While we must keep in mind the serious and risky nature of space travel, we’re also enjoying every moment of our training, which is almost as exhilarating as the journey itself,” remarked Tibor Kapu, the mission pilot, in English.
S?awosz Uzna?ski-Wi?niewski shared that the toughest aspects of training are dealing with “the waiting and the uncertainty,” as well as missing out on family time due to prolonged absences from home. ESA director Josef Aschbacher emphasized the importance of space research for numerous strategic reasons, including national security.
Each crew member will bring items imbued with national and personal significance. Peggy Whitson, the mission commander from the United States, will carry her wedding necklace and pictures of her family and teammates. In a nod to his heritage, Uzna?ski-Wi?niewski plans to take freeze-dried traditional pierogi along with poetry by Nobel laureate Wis?awa Szymborska, compositions by Frédéric Chopin, a piece of amber, and salt from the historic Wieliczka salt mine. He will also include a small white-and-red flag worn by Miros?aw Hermaszewski, Poland’s first astronaut, during his journey in 1978.
Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu intends to bring a photograph of Bertalan Farkas, Hungary’s first astronaut, who ventured into space in 1980, along with family photos and the Hungarian flag. Kapu credits his fascination with space to the Star Wars franchise, while Whitson’s interest sparked from witnessing the Apollo 11 lunar landing in 1969. Uzna?ski-Wi?niewski was inspired by the coincidence of being born on April 12, the same day Yuri Gagarin achieved the first crewed spaceflight in 1961.
Indian mission pilot Shubhanshu Shukla was unable to attend the event at the renowned Copernicus Science Center in Warsaw, which was also attended by Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Whitson, a seasoned astronaut with an impressive 675 days spent in space—the record for any American—highlighted the unique camaraderie that develops among crew members during their time in orbit.
“In space, you gain a vastly different perspective of Earth, recognizing it as ‘spaceship Earth,’ and it reinforces how crucial it is to care for our planet,” Whitson articulated, reflecting on the depth of experience that space exploration brings to the understanding of our home planet’s value.
