The 14-day mission will focus on scientific experiments investigating the effects of microgravity, Earth observation and new fuel technologies.
Uznański-Wiśniewski, a 41-year-old scientist and expert in radiation-hardened electronics, will become only the second Pole in history to travel to space after Mirosław Hermaszewski.
His flight to the International Space Station is the result of years of meticulous preparation, and a childhood dream that began with watching space launches on television.
'Even the Himalayas weren’t enough'
Uznański-Wiśniewski was born on April 12, 1984, the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s pioneering spaceflight.
"On every birthday, my mother used to wish me well on Cosmonaut Day," he recalled at a recent press conference.
He studied electronics and telecommunications at the Łódź University of Technology in central Poland and went on to specialize in radiation-resistant systems at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research.
In 2022, Uznański-Wiśniewski joined the European Space Agency's (ESA) Astronaut Reserve, after being selected from among 22,500 candidates.
Reflecting on his selection, he said: "I prepared for this competition for 13 years. I waited for the program to reopen since 2008."
His success, he said, came down to persistence, multidisciplinary expertise and physical resilience.
"I’m an engineer by training, but I also sail, climb glaciers and trek through the Himalayas," he said in an interview with Polish private radio broadcaster RMF FM.
The astronaut's father, Piotr Uznański commented on his son's exploits in Dziennik Łódzki newspaper: "In time, the Alps were no longer enough for him, so he went to the Himalayas. Then even the Himalayas weren’t enough, and he began to seek his fortune higher up."
In 2023, Uznański-Wiśniewski was assigned to mission Ax-4, operated by Houston-based Axiom Space in collaboration with the ESA and NASA.
The crew will launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
'Bright star'
ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher has praised Uznański-Wiśniewski as a "bright star" since his selection.
The astronaut's extensive training included mastering life-support systems aboard the Dragon capsule, orbital navigation and communications protocols.
He also closely observed Sweden’s Marcus Wandt during the Ax-3 mission in 2024, which gave him valuable insights into daily routines aboard the ISS.
Uznański-Wiśniewski said he was driven by curiosity and a passion for exploration: "The capsule, the rocket, the space station, everything fascinates me. I have the soul of an explorer."
He also acknowledged the risks inherent in spaceflight. "There’s a 3–4 percent fatality risk, but we’re trained for every scenario. Most of our preparation is for the unexpected," he told Poland's PAP news agency.
He emphasized that missions such as Ax-4 are about more than exploration – they are opportunities to inspire: "Engineers and scientists aren’t usually seen as public figures in Poland. I want to change that, especially for the younger generation.”
The Ax-4 crew includes American mission commander Peggy Whitson, Indian pilot Shubhanshu Shukla and Hungarian mission specialist Tibor Kapu.
The Polish astronaut’s participation is part of a wider Polish-ESA collaboration to conduct the Ignis mission, a science and technology initiative supported by the Ministry of Development and Technology and coordinated by the Polish Space Agency (POLSA).
During the mission, the crew will conduct more than 60 experiments on the ISS, including 13 Polish experiments. These will explore areas such as medicine, biology, biotechnology, engineering and human psychology in space conditions.
Life after orbit
When asked about life after orbit, Uznański-Wiśniewski said he plans to spend several months engaging in science education: "I want to visit every Polish technical university, and maybe a few medical schools too.”
Though CERN awaits his return, he hinted that his ambitions stretch much further: "I set big goals. And no one can forbid me from dreaming … including about the Moon or Mars.”
For now, he says, his most immediate dream is simpler: a delayed honeymoon with his wife.
The astronaut, who took on his second surname following the recent marriage to humanitarian activist and lawmaker Aleksandra Wiśniewska (now Uznańska-Wiśniewska), revealed that their wedding rings, made from meteorite and a cartridge from a humanitarian mission, will accompany him on the flight.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR/PAP