S. Uznański-Wiśniewski: space technologies are the basis for the country's defense

Space technologies are a huge technological resource for the country's defense, said astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski. In his opinion, Poland must also believe in long-term investments in people.

On Tuesday, the astronaut meets with students, children and residents in Krakow - at the AGH University of Science and Technology and the Jagiellonian University.

During the press conference at AGH, he was asked, among other things, about the results of this year's space mission and his impressions of meetings with the youngest.

"What the mission achieves will depend on structural financing and continuing our path, along with funding for scientific research and exploration. The return on this investment will be measured in years to come, particularly in the educational and scientific portions of the mission, aimed at students," said the astronaut.

As he noted, citing previous conversations with university rectors, there's been a significant increase in interest in technical studies. Graduates of these programs, inspired by the AX-4 mission, will enter the job market building technologies.

The scientist also expressed hope that it would be possible to build technological programs together with the ministries of: development and technology; national education; and science and higher education.

"Space technologies also provide a vast technological base for national defense, and I hope we will leverage this innovation, this most advanced part, to secure our technological autonomy. In addition to what we are investing in today, securing equipment directly for national defense," said Uznański-Wiśniewski.

In his opinion, we need to think long-term so that our country, with technological autonomy, can become a leader in Europe.

"Investing in people is a long-term investment that I still believe we, as a country, have to believe in very strongly," he said. He emphasized that "these people" will build the country's technological autonomy.

The astronaut noted that children today have widespread access to technology. Therefore, it's crucial to invest in their development at the earliest possible level of education. "These children are inspired; if they persevere in building knowledge, they will be the best leaders in the job market," the scientist assessed.

Dr. Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski is an ESA project astronaut, the second Pole in space after Mirosław Hermaszewski, and the first Polish citizen to set foot on the ISS. His Ax-4 mission launched on June 25th. In addition to the Pole, the mission included American Peggy Whitson, Hungarian Tibor Kapu, and Indian pilot Shubhanshu Shukla. The Ax-4 crew spent 18 days on the ISS and a total of 20 days in space (including travel to and from the ISS). The astronauts returned to Earth on July 15th. (PAP)

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