This is a symbol of our new beginning in space travel. A spark of innovation. After 46 years since the last Polish manned spaceflight, we are entering a new era - with the first Polish mission to the International Space Station.

The IGNIS Mission is a milestone for Polish industry, technology, and science. It strengthens Poland's position as a technologically advanced country among the world's leading economies.

The symbol of the IGNIS Mission is a white eagle spreading its wings, representing Poland's tremendous economic and technological growth over the past 30 years. Its white and red wings refer to the Polish flag.

The silver line at the top is the horizon symbolising a new beginning in Polish space exploration. The shield constellation visible on it is a star constellation that we can see with the naked eye in the night sky. It is also a tribute to its discoverer, one of Poland's greatest astronomers - Jan Heweliusz.

The second “i” in IGNIS symbolises the International Space Station, which will become a platform for testing our technologies.

Above the eagle's wings is Orla Perć, our most challenging mountain ridge in the Tatras. Orla Perć reflects the perseverance of Poles in overcoming challenges on the road to progress.

The eagle's tail represents the flame symbolising the talent, enthusiasm, and motivation of Poles - scientists, engineers, teachers - all citizens shaping our future.

Together, we are the fire. Together, we create IGNIS.

The Polish mission to the International Space Station will take place in 2025 and last approximately 2 weeks. It is part of the Axiom-4 mission, which will launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule by SpaceX. The mission commander will be Axiom Space astronaut Peggy Whitson, the pilot will be Shubhanshu Shukla from India, and the second mission specialist, alongside me, will be Tibor Kapu from Hungary.