The launch, scheduled to take place from Cape Canaveral in Florida, has already faced five delays due to technical issues and weather conditions.
Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, a 41-year-old scientist and expert in radiation-hardened electronics, is set to become only the second Pole in history to reach space - following General Mirosław Hermaszewski’s landmark flight aboard a Soviet Soyuz in 1978.
The mission is part of Poland’s broader investment in its national space sector, with €65 million allocated to support Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski’s participation and to enhance the country’s involvement in international space initiatives.
The international crew includes American astronaut Peggy Whitson, who will serve as commander, Indian pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, Hungarian mission specialist Tibor Kapu, and Uznański-Wiśniewski as mission specialist representing Poland and the ESA.
The astronauts are expected to spend 14 days aboard the ISS.
During the mission, 13 experiments will be conducted in fields such as medicine, biology, biotechnology, and engineering.
Uznański-Wiśniewski will also lead a series of recorded educational demonstrations in microgravity, which will be used in a Polish outreach program. These include experiments with Newton’s cradle - a device illustrating the conservation of momentum and energy - and demonstrations of simple electrical circuits, such as a Morse key.
(aj)
SOURCE: IAR; NASA