Why is money for space research? The head of the Copernicus Science Center explains

For the general public, it is not obvious why space research is conducted and why spend a lot of money on the flight of the Polish astronaut – said the director of the Copernicus Science Center Robert Firhofer. That is why he plays high hopes in the popularization activity of Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski.

The Polish astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski together with the AX-4 crew is to soon start to the international space station as part of the Polish Ignis technology and scientific mission.

PAP asked the director of the Copernicus Science Center, Where – in his opinion – incl. Comments on the network that call the costs of space missions fad, and Poland's financial contribution to the European Space Agency (thanks to which the mission takes place) define as unnecessary.

“In my opinion, people just want to know why to spend such a gigantic money on the Polish astronaut.

He added that Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski himself also knows this, hence his strong commitment to popularizing and educational activities. “Sławosz talks a lot about it during his meetings and I am convinced that after returning he will achieve popularizing success. From our perspective – the environment of popularizers and educators – this field of action is even more important than the research part along with 13 Polish experiments implemented at an international space station” – he assessed.

Robert Firmhofer also said that in Houston at Space Center NASA, where he was several times, astronauts can be regularly. “They are extremely admired there, they are even treated like heroes – people who have broken extremely barriers. That is why their testimony is very important. As ambassadors of science and technology, they explain the best, why are space expeditions, which thanks to this we have and how it affects our daily lives. It is not about the future when we colonize Mars and there we will lead a utopian life, but about all technologies, including all technologies, including Satellite, research on our health, researching new materials.

As part of the AX-4 mission-which, according to the latest announcements, can take place on June 19-a crew of four is to fly to the international space station: Peggy Whitson (USA), Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland/ESA), Shubhanshu Shukla (India) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary). Dr. Uznański-Wiśniewski will be the second Pole after Mirosław Hermaszewski in space, and the first at ISS. (PAP)

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