Poland to Send a Human to Space for the First Time in 50 Years

The Ministry of Economic Development and Technology has witnessed the signing of an agreement between Poland and the European Space Agency (ESA), aimed at fostering the development of the space industry within Poland. Among the key elements of this agreement is the facilitation of internship opportunities for Polish individuals within the European Space Agency, as well as the provision for Polish astronauts to embark on space missions, as reported by Polskie Radio.

This accord became possible due to Poland's increased contribution to the ESA, totaling 295 million euros for the period from 2023 to 2025. Dr. Josef Aschbacher, the Director General of the European Space Agency, personally attended the signing ceremony in Warsaw, emphasizing the contemporary necessity of space industry advancement, which has become an integral part of modern life.

He also noted that this agreement opens the door for a Polish astronaut to participate in a space mission. "If we aspire to lead and play as significant a role as other nations, we must achieve one-third of NASA's budget by 2025. I can say that Poland has truly understood this message and is actively contributing to the development of the space industry. Our agreement, signed today, also signifies that another Pole will journey into space nearly 50 years after Mirosław Hermaszewski accomplished this feat," stated the Director General of the ESA.

Furthermore, the provisions also encompass organizing internships for Polish individuals within the ESA, with the first round of selections scheduled for September of this year. As Minister Waldemar Buda highlighted, these agreements are designed to accelerate the growth of Polish companies associated with astronautics. "We have 400 companies operating in this field. We want them to thrive thanks to these agreements and cooperation with the ESA, to reach higher levels and engage in the creation of modern technologies," said Waldemar Buda.

Poland ranks among the top ten countries contributing the most to the development of the space industry in Europe. The flight of the Polish astronaut is planned for the second half of the coming year. It is likely that this will be carried out by Sławosz Uznański, a reserve astronaut of the ESA, who begins training in Cologne on September 4th as part of his preparation for the mission.

Recalling history, the last Polish cosmonaut flew to space in 1978. It was Mirosław Hermaszewski, who participated in an eight-day Soviet space mission.