
Mission IGNIS
Lesson 3: ARISS Connection from Rzeszów
28 Jul 2025



On 5 July 2025, students from Podkarpacie had the exceptional opportunity to have a live conversation with the Polish astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski aboard the ISS. This was the third lesson in the Ax-4 mission, full of inspiring questions and candid answers from space.
ARISS link from Rzeszów
On 5 July 2025, the third lesson from space took place – this time in Rzeszów, at the Rzeszów University of Technology. This institution was one of just two in Poland selected for direct contact with the ISS as part of the educational programme accompanying the Polish astronaut's mission. The format of the event once again relied on ARISS communication, meaning a direct amateur radio audio link with the International Space Station.
Several hundred people attended the event in person – over 450, mostly school youth from Podkarpacie – and additionally, a few thousand viewers followed the online broadcast. The greatest excitement was naturally experienced by those fortunate enough to personally ask a question to the astronaut. The organisers had previously conducted a "Ask the Astronaut" competition, where students submitted question proposals. Winners – the authors of the most intriguing ideas – received tickets and the right to directly ask the Polish astronaut a question. Thanks to this, the questions asked during the meeting were carefully selected from among hundreds submitted by the youth.
The radio communication with the ISS lasted about 10 minutes and allowed as many as 16 questions to be asked before the International Space Station moved beyond antenna range. This is an impressive result – by comparison, during the previous ARISS session from Wrocław a day earlier, 11 questions were successfully asked within about 10 minutes. The meeting in Rzeszów thus set an informal record for the number of responses given by an astronaut during a single ARISS contact in Poland.
A wide range of questions – from technology to personal experiences
The range of questions turned out to be very broad – young participants asked about both technical issues and Sławosz's personal experiences in orbit. For example, one student asked which experiences from his previous engineering career proved useful during the mission. The astronaut replied that they taught him how to deal with unexpected failures – he mentioned "the long hours spent in the laboratory when something wasn't working," noting that similarly on the ISS, surrounding systems can cause trouble, and one must demonstrate patience and ingenuity.
There was also a question from teenage Marysia about how the success of the first Polish astronaut on the ISS could motivate young Poles to steer their own careers. Sławosz humbly admitted that it's hard to say how he could be used as motivation, but he offered an important piece of advice to the youth: "it's worthwhile to spend time doing what you enjoy. You must push ahead strongly and never give up," he emphasized, adding that passion and perseverance are the keys to achieving great successes later on.
There were also questions about the daily sensations of an astronaut's life. Nine-year-old Madzia asked what he felt during the flight to the ISS and what activity in a weightless state was the greatest challenge for him. The astronaut candidly described that the launch was accompanied by immense excitement mixed with a touch of fear – after all, he was sitting in a rocket heading into the unknown. In terms of weightlessness, Uznański considered moving around the station to be the greatest challenge: "there's a lot of fun involved, but it's also quite a challenge not to bump into any equipment," he explained with a smile, describing the learning to fly in the cramped modules of the orbital laboratory.
There were also questions about more down-to-earth matters: does an astronaut's suit hinder work, what could be taken in personal luggage, how meals are conducted on the ISS, or what is the favourite pastime in one's free time in space. To the latter, Sławosz responded that probably for every astronaut – himself included – the favourite moment of relaxation is floating up to the Cupola window and admiring Earth in all its glory. When asked about his favourite childhood hero, he said it was hard to pinpoint a specific character – he always tried to follow his own path instead of emulating idols.
An interesting twist in the Rzeszów session was a question about... food. One of the students asked if Polish pierogi taste different in space. Sławosz admitted that not only pierogi but all food tastes a bit different in space than on Earth. However, he proudly emphasized that the Polish pierogi he brought to orbit were greatly enjoyed by the entire ISS crew.
An intensive mission and scientific attractions for participants
Despite the short duration of the communication, the lesson in Rzeszów was rich with interesting facts and heartfelt moments. The participants were impressed by the ease with which Sławosz spoke about life in orbit. The astronaut revealed, among other things, that he adapted to the new environment after just a few days on the station. Each day on the ISS is filled with intensive work from early morning to evening—the astronauts' daily schedule is precisely planned, filling the time with scientific experiments, station maintenance, and daily physical exercises.
The live broadcast of the event in Rzeszów was available online, and the recording—including both the lectures preceding the conversation and the radio communication itself—was made available for later viewing.
Also in Rzeszów, the conversation was accompanied by a broader popular science program for the youth. During the several-hour event, there were expert lectures and shows, and a space-themed science picnic was organized on the university campus. In three workshop sessions, students constructed pneumatic rockets, designed thermal protection for spacecraft, and learned 3D printing in space applications. There were also attractions such as VR stations with space simulations, a track for driving a Mars rover, a space-themed photo booth, and a mobile planetarium.
Similar to the events in Wrocław and Łódź, this meeting left the audience inspired and full of new dreams. The event will certainly be remembered by the participants for a long time—the organizers hope that some of the children present will, in the future, tie their futures to space. Perhaps among the captivated youth in Rzeszów were future engineers, scientists, or even the next Polish astronauts.
Watch the lesson recording
The recording of the first lesson is available on YouTube of the Polska Agencja Kosmiczna.


Read more
Lesson 3: ARISS Connection from Rzeszów

Read more
Lesson 3: ARISS Connection from Rzeszów

Read more
Lesson 3: ARISS Connection from Rzeszów

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
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 3: ARISS Connection from Rzeszów
28 Jul 2025



On 5 July 2025, students from Podkarpacie had the exceptional opportunity to have a live conversation with the Polish astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski aboard the ISS. This was the third lesson in the Ax-4 mission, full of inspiring questions and candid answers from space.
ARISS link from Rzeszów
On 5 July 2025, the third lesson from space took place – this time in Rzeszów, at the Rzeszów University of Technology. This institution was one of just two in Poland selected for direct contact with the ISS as part of the educational programme accompanying the Polish astronaut's mission. The format of the event once again relied on ARISS communication, meaning a direct amateur radio audio link with the International Space Station.
Several hundred people attended the event in person – over 450, mostly school youth from Podkarpacie – and additionally, a few thousand viewers followed the online broadcast. The greatest excitement was naturally experienced by those fortunate enough to personally ask a question to the astronaut. The organisers had previously conducted a "Ask the Astronaut" competition, where students submitted question proposals. Winners – the authors of the most intriguing ideas – received tickets and the right to directly ask the Polish astronaut a question. Thanks to this, the questions asked during the meeting were carefully selected from among hundreds submitted by the youth.
The radio communication with the ISS lasted about 10 minutes and allowed as many as 16 questions to be asked before the International Space Station moved beyond antenna range. This is an impressive result – by comparison, during the previous ARISS session from Wrocław a day earlier, 11 questions were successfully asked within about 10 minutes. The meeting in Rzeszów thus set an informal record for the number of responses given by an astronaut during a single ARISS contact in Poland.
A wide range of questions – from technology to personal experiences
The range of questions turned out to be very broad – young participants asked about both technical issues and Sławosz's personal experiences in orbit. For example, one student asked which experiences from his previous engineering career proved useful during the mission. The astronaut replied that they taught him how to deal with unexpected failures – he mentioned "the long hours spent in the laboratory when something wasn't working," noting that similarly on the ISS, surrounding systems can cause trouble, and one must demonstrate patience and ingenuity.
There was also a question from teenage Marysia about how the success of the first Polish astronaut on the ISS could motivate young Poles to steer their own careers. Sławosz humbly admitted that it's hard to say how he could be used as motivation, but he offered an important piece of advice to the youth: "it's worthwhile to spend time doing what you enjoy. You must push ahead strongly and never give up," he emphasized, adding that passion and perseverance are the keys to achieving great successes later on.
There were also questions about the daily sensations of an astronaut's life. Nine-year-old Madzia asked what he felt during the flight to the ISS and what activity in a weightless state was the greatest challenge for him. The astronaut candidly described that the launch was accompanied by immense excitement mixed with a touch of fear – after all, he was sitting in a rocket heading into the unknown. In terms of weightlessness, Uznański considered moving around the station to be the greatest challenge: "there's a lot of fun involved, but it's also quite a challenge not to bump into any equipment," he explained with a smile, describing the learning to fly in the cramped modules of the orbital laboratory.
There were also questions about more down-to-earth matters: does an astronaut's suit hinder work, what could be taken in personal luggage, how meals are conducted on the ISS, or what is the favourite pastime in one's free time in space. To the latter, Sławosz responded that probably for every astronaut – himself included – the favourite moment of relaxation is floating up to the Cupola window and admiring Earth in all its glory. When asked about his favourite childhood hero, he said it was hard to pinpoint a specific character – he always tried to follow his own path instead of emulating idols.
An interesting twist in the Rzeszów session was a question about... food. One of the students asked if Polish pierogi taste different in space. Sławosz admitted that not only pierogi but all food tastes a bit different in space than on Earth. However, he proudly emphasized that the Polish pierogi he brought to orbit were greatly enjoyed by the entire ISS crew.
An intensive mission and scientific attractions for participants
Despite the short duration of the communication, the lesson in Rzeszów was rich with interesting facts and heartfelt moments. The participants were impressed by the ease with which Sławosz spoke about life in orbit. The astronaut revealed, among other things, that he adapted to the new environment after just a few days on the station. Each day on the ISS is filled with intensive work from early morning to evening—the astronauts' daily schedule is precisely planned, filling the time with scientific experiments, station maintenance, and daily physical exercises.
The live broadcast of the event in Rzeszów was available online, and the recording—including both the lectures preceding the conversation and the radio communication itself—was made available for later viewing.
Also in Rzeszów, the conversation was accompanied by a broader popular science program for the youth. During the several-hour event, there were expert lectures and shows, and a space-themed science picnic was organized on the university campus. In three workshop sessions, students constructed pneumatic rockets, designed thermal protection for spacecraft, and learned 3D printing in space applications. There were also attractions such as VR stations with space simulations, a track for driving a Mars rover, a space-themed photo booth, and a mobile planetarium.
Similar to the events in Wrocław and Łódź, this meeting left the audience inspired and full of new dreams. The event will certainly be remembered by the participants for a long time—the organizers hope that some of the children present will, in the future, tie their futures to space. Perhaps among the captivated youth in Rzeszów were future engineers, scientists, or even the next Polish astronauts.
Watch the lesson recording
The recording of the first lesson is available on YouTube of the Polska Agencja Kosmiczna.


Read more
Lesson 3: ARISS Connection from Rzeszów

Read more
Lesson 3: ARISS Connection from Rzeszów

Read more
Lesson 3: ARISS Connection from Rzeszów

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
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.
