Dr. Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski will be the second Pole in space. “As if he took over the baton”

Closer to the flight into the space of a second Pole in history. Dr Sławosz Uznański -Wiśniewski will perform 13 experiments and research at the international space station – almost 47 years after the first Pole, Mirosław Hermaszewski, later Aviation General, flew into space. A lot has changed since then – not only on Earth, but also in orbit.

47 years ago, Mirosław Hermaszewski flew into space as the first and so far the only Pole.

– It was pure propaganda. This flight was to show that Poland is growing in strength and people live prosperous – says Dariusz Kortko, co -author of the book “Price of weightlessness. Backstage of a Pole's flight into space.”

The mission was preceded by many years of preparation – first you had to choose the right candidate.

– Generally, everything was in a fairly great secret – says Dr. Krzysztof Kowalczuk from the Military Institute of Aviation Medicine.

– The army chose the 80 best pilots, be it hunting or bomb, and a very restrictive selection took place – introduces Marcin Pietraszewski, co -author of the book “Price of weightlessness. Backstage of the Pole's flight into space. – In the end there are two left. Mirosław Hermaszewski and colonel Zenon Jankowski became – says Dariusz Kortko.

Although the first one mentioned after years that he had a more modest dream. “My dream was, when Gagarin flew to see a real cosmonaut,” he said. “When I saw him after crossing the gate, it was Leonov (Alexei Leonov – editor's note), I say it, I can go home,” he recalled.

Then he became the one who others wanted to see. The rocket with General Mirosław Hermaszewski started at the end of June 1978 – he was accompanied by Russian Piotr Klimuk, who was later to mention that the only task of the Pole was that he would not move anything.

– After shooting from the rocket, when the ship began to spin, I saw, indeed, Earth! Beautiful, beautiful! Round, blue-white! It wants to scream – General Mirosław Hermaszewski recalled years later.

The technical conditions have changed

The Polish astronaut spent 8 days in orbit. He performed 11 experiments on board the Soviet station, 126 times he circled the land and landed on the steppes Kazakhstan.

– Generally, this mission also contributed to the fact that we got to know the reactions of the human body better to the conditions during the space mission – says Dr. Krzysztof Kowalczuk today.

– Mr. Uznański now seeking the baton and will be the second Polish astronaut, which will fly to orbit – notes Dariusz Kortko.

Today, however, this is a completely different world: Uznański's capsule is three times larger than the Hermaszewski's Soymus, and the new suit looks like a science-fiction movie. This is a mission that is to be the beginning of Poland's permanent presence among the stars.