Mission IGNIS
Lesson 2: Young people from Wrocław connect with the ISS
26 Jul 2025
On 4 July 2025, the Polish astronaut Dr Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski engaged in a live connection with young people in Wrocław. This is the second educational lesson conducted directly from the International Space Station as part of the Ax-4 mission.
Space meeting in Wrocław
This extraordinary lesson took place at the Uniwersytet Wrocławski and was made possible through radio communication established under the ARISS programme (Amateur Radio on ISS). Radio amateurs from Poland and the USA built a special "bridge" to transmit the signal between the ISS and Wrocław – on 4th July, during the day, the ISS did not pass directly over Poland, so support from foreign ground stations was necessary. Dr Uznański-Wiśniewski himself holds an amateur radio licence and also prepared for this form of communication. Approximately 300 young science enthusiasts gathered in the hall in Wrocław – mainly winners of space contests organised by POLSA, and students from schools particularly active in astronomy education. Among the participants were not only Wrocław residents but also young people from other parts of the country (including Koluszki and Kęty), for whom the opportunity to speak with a real astronaut was a dream come true. It is no surprise that Paweł Preś from the Instytut Astronomiczny UWr stated that it was a "great day" that those present at the meeting will remember for the rest of their lives.
The atmosphere of the event resembled a small science festival. Although the highlight of the programme was the conversation with the astronaut, the organisers also prepared a rich array of educational attractions for the whole day. Participants could attend lectures on survival in space and meteorites, as well as experience learning through play – from virtual spacewalks and artificial intelligence workshops, a lunar driving simulator, to testing their skills with tools in the thick gloves of a spacesuit. Even culinary curiosities awaited them: "astropierogi" and other treats inspired by astronaut cuisine were served, showing that science can engage all the senses and be a real adventure.
Questions from the młodzieży
Precisely at 9:00 AM, communication was established with the ISS and the voice of the Polish astronaut orbiting 400 km above the Earth echoed through the speakers. The conversation lasted just under 10 minutes, but during this short time, the young participants managed to ask a great myriad of questions. The questions had been previously selected in the "Ask the Astronaut" contest organized by Polska Agencja Kosmiczna, ensuring a high level of substantive quality. Dr Uznański-Wiśniewski responded enthusiastically, sharing personal experiences and scientific curiosities.
What did the students ask about? The range of topics was very broad – from daily life matters on the station to the challenges of professional space exploration. The astronaut talked about character traits important in this profession (emphasizing perseverance in achieving goals and an incessant curiosity about the world), what the menu looks like in orbit (for example, he ate porridge and scrambled eggs for breakfast, albeit in a different form than on Earth) and how he maintains physical fitness in zero-gravity conditions (regular exercises on a stationary bike and with resistance bands). There was also a question about the pride and responsibility associated with being the second Pole in space – Dr Uznański admitted he feels great satisfaction in representing his country on an international stage. He also revealed details about the lengthy mission preparations (over a year of training in the USA, Europe, and Japan, including parabolic flights and evacuation training from a capsule landing on the ocean). Thanks to such diverse questions, the young listeners received a comprehensive picture of the life and work of an astronaut – from daily rituals to the remarkable challenges linked to space travel.
At a certain point, the radio communication was interrupted – the time for asking questions passed very quickly. Several children didn't have the chance to ask their questions (such as 10-year-old Franek from SP no 53 in Wrocław, who wanted to ask if the astronaut perceives walking on Earth differently after experiencing weightlessness). However, the organizers reassured the young inquiring minds: there will be another opportunity to get answers in meetings with the astronaut once he's back on Earth. The mere fact that a Polish voice from space echoed directly in the packed auditorium provoked immense joy and pride. As the teachers emphasized, such a live meeting is the best inspiration, igniting a passion for learning in young people and encouraging them to reach for the stars, both literally and figuratively.
Experiments from Orbit – Science and Education
In addition to questions about daily life on the ISS, purely scientific topics were not lacking. During the conversation and accompanying presentation, the scientific experiments conducted as part of the IGNIS mission were discussed. Piotr Kosek from the Astrofaza channel presented the audience with as many as 13 experiments planned to be carried out by the Polish astronaut on the station. In particular, the experiment with microalgae prepared by the Wrocław-based start-up Extremo Technologies, in collaboration with scientists from Wrocław University of Science and Technology, sparked much excitement. Its aim is to determine how extremophilic volcanic microalgae—organisms accustomed to living in very challenging environments on Earth—will fare in microgravity conditions. Who knows, perhaps in the future such algae will assist astronauts in producing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide on space stations. The interest shown by young people in this topic already demonstrates that young Poles understand very well the importance of biotechnological research for further space exploration.
During the Wrocław lesson, it was not possible to present all the experiments live (limited communication time required focusing on a question-and-answer session). However, not all was lost—some demonstrations were conducted and recorded aboard the ISS at other times and then made available for educational purposes. This concerns such spectacular experiments as the chain fountain (Mould effect) or the demonstration of the Magnus effect—attempts to illustrate the laws of physics known on Earth in weightlessness. Importantly, these are pioneering experiments: they were carried out in microgravity conditions for the first time in history. For the IGNIS mission, a unique Newton's cradle was specially designed for use in orbit, and a 10-meter chain was prepared to demonstrate the Mould effect. Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski and his international crew partners (including commander Peggy Whitson from the USA, pilot Shubhanshu Shukla from India, and specialist Tibor Kapu from Hungary) dedicated a significant part of their two-week stay on the ISS to implementing such an educational program. Thanks to this, Polish students were able to see the effects of their own ideas (after all, some of the experiments were proposed in competitions by their peers) and participate in learning through experience—first proposing experiments and then analysing their course and results with experts. This kind of collaboration between scientists and young people not only results in new scientific data but, above all, sparks curiosity and builds trust in science. Young people see with their own eyes that science is not a collection of abstract theories but a living field they can co-create—even reaching beyond Earth.
Watch the lesson recording
The recording of the first lesson is available on YouTube of the Polska Agencja Kosmiczna.
Read more
Lesson 2: Young people from Wrocław connect with the ISS
Read more
Lesson 2: Young people from Wrocław connect with the ISS
Read more
Lesson 2: Young people from Wrocław connect with the ISS
Read more
Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski wrócił do Polski po misji Ax-4
Read more
Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski wrócił do Polski po misji Ax-4
Read more
Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski wrócił do Polski po misji Ax-4
Education
We educate, inspire, and discover
Our mission is to inspire and educate – we believe that the future begins with knowledge. We create an educational space for those who aspire to reach higher.
Education
We educate, inspire, and discover
Our mission is to inspire and educate – we believe that the future begins with knowledge. We create an educational space for those who aspire to reach higher.
Education
We educate, inspire, and discover
Our mission is to inspire and educate – we believe that the future begins with knowledge. We create an educational space for those who aspire to reach higher.
Mission IGNIS
Lesson 2: Young people from Wrocław connect with the ISS
26 Jul 2025
On 4 July 2025, the Polish astronaut Dr Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski engaged in a live connection with young people in Wrocław. This is the second educational lesson conducted directly from the International Space Station as part of the Ax-4 mission.
Space meeting in Wrocław
This extraordinary lesson took place at the Uniwersytet Wrocławski and was made possible through radio communication established under the ARISS programme (Amateur Radio on ISS). Radio amateurs from Poland and the USA built a special "bridge" to transmit the signal between the ISS and Wrocław – on 4th July, during the day, the ISS did not pass directly over Poland, so support from foreign ground stations was necessary. Dr Uznański-Wiśniewski himself holds an amateur radio licence and also prepared for this form of communication. Approximately 300 young science enthusiasts gathered in the hall in Wrocław – mainly winners of space contests organised by POLSA, and students from schools particularly active in astronomy education. Among the participants were not only Wrocław residents but also young people from other parts of the country (including Koluszki and Kęty), for whom the opportunity to speak with a real astronaut was a dream come true. It is no surprise that Paweł Preś from the Instytut Astronomiczny UWr stated that it was a "great day" that those present at the meeting will remember for the rest of their lives.
The atmosphere of the event resembled a small science festival. Although the highlight of the programme was the conversation with the astronaut, the organisers also prepared a rich array of educational attractions for the whole day. Participants could attend lectures on survival in space and meteorites, as well as experience learning through play – from virtual spacewalks and artificial intelligence workshops, a lunar driving simulator, to testing their skills with tools in the thick gloves of a spacesuit. Even culinary curiosities awaited them: "astropierogi" and other treats inspired by astronaut cuisine were served, showing that science can engage all the senses and be a real adventure.
Questions from the młodzieży
Precisely at 9:00 AM, communication was established with the ISS and the voice of the Polish astronaut orbiting 400 km above the Earth echoed through the speakers. The conversation lasted just under 10 minutes, but during this short time, the young participants managed to ask a great myriad of questions. The questions had been previously selected in the "Ask the Astronaut" contest organized by Polska Agencja Kosmiczna, ensuring a high level of substantive quality. Dr Uznański-Wiśniewski responded enthusiastically, sharing personal experiences and scientific curiosities.
What did the students ask about? The range of topics was very broad – from daily life matters on the station to the challenges of professional space exploration. The astronaut talked about character traits important in this profession (emphasizing perseverance in achieving goals and an incessant curiosity about the world), what the menu looks like in orbit (for example, he ate porridge and scrambled eggs for breakfast, albeit in a different form than on Earth) and how he maintains physical fitness in zero-gravity conditions (regular exercises on a stationary bike and with resistance bands). There was also a question about the pride and responsibility associated with being the second Pole in space – Dr Uznański admitted he feels great satisfaction in representing his country on an international stage. He also revealed details about the lengthy mission preparations (over a year of training in the USA, Europe, and Japan, including parabolic flights and evacuation training from a capsule landing on the ocean). Thanks to such diverse questions, the young listeners received a comprehensive picture of the life and work of an astronaut – from daily rituals to the remarkable challenges linked to space travel.
At a certain point, the radio communication was interrupted – the time for asking questions passed very quickly. Several children didn't have the chance to ask their questions (such as 10-year-old Franek from SP no 53 in Wrocław, who wanted to ask if the astronaut perceives walking on Earth differently after experiencing weightlessness). However, the organizers reassured the young inquiring minds: there will be another opportunity to get answers in meetings with the astronaut once he's back on Earth. The mere fact that a Polish voice from space echoed directly in the packed auditorium provoked immense joy and pride. As the teachers emphasized, such a live meeting is the best inspiration, igniting a passion for learning in young people and encouraging them to reach for the stars, both literally and figuratively.
Experiments from Orbit – Science and Education
In addition to questions about daily life on the ISS, purely scientific topics were not lacking. During the conversation and accompanying presentation, the scientific experiments conducted as part of the IGNIS mission were discussed. Piotr Kosek from the Astrofaza channel presented the audience with as many as 13 experiments planned to be carried out by the Polish astronaut on the station. In particular, the experiment with microalgae prepared by the Wrocław-based start-up Extremo Technologies, in collaboration with scientists from Wrocław University of Science and Technology, sparked much excitement. Its aim is to determine how extremophilic volcanic microalgae—organisms accustomed to living in very challenging environments on Earth—will fare in microgravity conditions. Who knows, perhaps in the future such algae will assist astronauts in producing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide on space stations. The interest shown by young people in this topic already demonstrates that young Poles understand very well the importance of biotechnological research for further space exploration.
During the Wrocław lesson, it was not possible to present all the experiments live (limited communication time required focusing on a question-and-answer session). However, not all was lost—some demonstrations were conducted and recorded aboard the ISS at other times and then made available for educational purposes. This concerns such spectacular experiments as the chain fountain (Mould effect) or the demonstration of the Magnus effect—attempts to illustrate the laws of physics known on Earth in weightlessness. Importantly, these are pioneering experiments: they were carried out in microgravity conditions for the first time in history. For the IGNIS mission, a unique Newton's cradle was specially designed for use in orbit, and a 10-meter chain was prepared to demonstrate the Mould effect. Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski and his international crew partners (including commander Peggy Whitson from the USA, pilot Shubhanshu Shukla from India, and specialist Tibor Kapu from Hungary) dedicated a significant part of their two-week stay on the ISS to implementing such an educational program. Thanks to this, Polish students were able to see the effects of their own ideas (after all, some of the experiments were proposed in competitions by their peers) and participate in learning through experience—first proposing experiments and then analysing their course and results with experts. This kind of collaboration between scientists and young people not only results in new scientific data but, above all, sparks curiosity and builds trust in science. Young people see with their own eyes that science is not a collection of abstract theories but a living field they can co-create—even reaching beyond Earth.
Watch the lesson recording
The recording of the first lesson is available on YouTube of the Polska Agencja Kosmiczna.
Read more
Lesson 2: Young people from Wrocław connect with the ISS
Read more
Lesson 2: Young people from Wrocław connect with the ISS
Read more
Lesson 2: Young people from Wrocław connect with the ISS
Read more
Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski wrócił do Polski po misji Ax-4
Read more
Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski wrócił do Polski po misji Ax-4
Read more
Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski wrócił do Polski po misji Ax-4
Education
We educate, inspire, and discover
Our mission is to inspire and educate – we believe that the future begins with knowledge. We create an educational space for those who aspire to reach higher.
Education
We educate, inspire, and discover
Our mission is to inspire and educate – we believe that the future begins with knowledge. We create an educational space for those who aspire to reach higher.
Education
We educate, inspire, and discover
Our mission is to inspire and educate – we believe that the future begins with knowledge. We create an educational space for those who aspire to reach higher.