PM Tusk holds live video call with Polish astronaut aboard ISS
Prime Minister Donald Tusk and other Polish officials joined a remote viedo call with the International Space Station to talk to Polish astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk connected remotely with the International Space Station to speak with Polish astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski. Photo: MRiT/gov.pl
The head of Polish government said he was delighted to see Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski during a live video link with the International Space Station, remarking that although thousands of kilometres separated them, the distance felt far smaller thanks to the real-time connection.
A space link between Warsaw and orbit
Donald Tusk told the astronaut that the entire country was eagerly awaiting his return, describing him as not only a symbol of Polish ambition but a hero to many young people.
Below is the live recording.
The prime minister added with a smile that countless Poles envied Uznański-Wiśniewski the chance to experience weightlessness – and asked whether it was as enjoyable as people imagine.
The astronaut thanked him for the interest in Poland’s mission and confirmed that microgravity was, indeed, an extraordinary sensation. Even more moving, he said, had been the sight of Earth from orbit. Travelling aboard the Dragon capsule, he was able to look down on Europe and Poland, including the distinctive Hel Peninsula, from a perspective few ever witness.
With characteristic irony, the politician replied that the astronaut could be sure that when he passed over the Hel Peninsula, the prime minister and his whole family were waving up at him from nearby Sopot, Tusk’s hometown.
“This mission opens Poland to a very ambitious future,” says PM Tusk
Uznański-Wiśniewski reflected that space had fascinated him since childhood, and he hoped his mission would inspire the next generation to pursue science, explore space, and help drive advances in new technologies.
“For the first time, we have access to such a remarkable scientific laboratory as the International Space Station,” he said, adding that he believed Polish experiments in orbit – and broader opportunities for Polish researchers, engineers, and industry – would soon play a crucial role in shaping technological progress.
“This mission opens Poland to a very ambitious future,” Prime Minister Tusk concluded.
Later in the live link, the astronaut was also joined by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Development and Technology Minister Krzysztof Paszyk, and Marta Wachowicz, President of the Polish Space Agency.
Łódź students inspired by live space science session
Earlier on Wednesday, a video conference was held with Polish astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, involving around 300 students gathered at the EC1 complex in Łódź, located in central Poland.
Uznański-Wiśniewski had the opportunity to answer the young audience’s questions and perform three scientific experiments demonstrating how water and various forces behave in orbit.
At the end of the session, the students received a special telegraph key from the Polish Space Agency, enabling them to communicate securely and share their passion for astronomy.
(mp)
Source: YouTube.com/@MRiTGOVPL/X/@POLSA_GOV_PL
