Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, the first Polish astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS), once again connected with Earth – this time to speak with students gathered at the Rzeszów University of Technology. During the conversation, he revealed that among the few personal items he brought to space was his wife’s wedding ring.
Although the people of Rzeszów couldn’t see Poland’s astronaut in orbit, they certainly could hear him loud and clear. The live connection was made via amateur radio, thanks to the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program. A U.S. operator first established the link with the ISS, then relayed the signal to Rzeszów.
Preparations for the call began at 11:22 AM local time. Just six minutes later, the American operator started attempting to reach the ISS. After three tries, static gave way to a clear voice—it was Uznański-Wiśniewski speaking from orbit.
The students had a range of curious and heartfelt questions. Before speaking with Rzeszów, the astronaut had already connected with students in Łódź and Wrocław, with a call to Warsaw still planned. These events are part of an educational program organized by the Polish Space Agency (POLSA), in cooperation with the Ministry of Development and Technology and the European Space Agency (ESA).
To mark the occasion, Rzeszów University of Technology also hosted a day of space-themed workshops for children and teenagers, along with a lecture about the IGNIS mission, in which Uznański-Wiśniewski is currently participating, and a look at his inspiring journey from engineer to astronaut.
The next live ISS connection will take place on:
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