Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski
{{Short description|Polish engineer}}
{{Infobox astronaut
| image = Sławosz Uznański 2023.jpg
| caption = Uznański-Wiśniewski in 2023
| type = ESA astronaut
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1984|4|12|df=y}}
| spouse = Aleksandra Uznańska-Wiśniewska
| birth_place = Łódź, Poland
| education = {{ubli
| Łódź University of Technology (M.Sc.Eng.)
| University of Nantes (M.Sc.)
| Aix-Marseille University (PhD)
}}
| previous_occupation = Engineer in Charge of the Large Hadron Collider, CERN
| selection = 2022 ESA Group
| missions =
| insignia =
}}
Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski{{Cite web |date=2025-01-05 |title=Posłanka i astronauta zostali małżeństwem. "Kosmiczna para" |url=https://dziendobry.tvn.pl/newsy/poslanka-aleksandra-wisniewska-i-astronauta-slawosz-uznanski-wzieli-slub-opublikowali-zdjecia-z-ceremonii-st8247466 |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=dziendobry.tvn.pl |language=pl}} (Polish: {{IPAc-pl|'|s|ł|a|w|o|sz|-|u|z|'|n|a|ń|s|k|J|i|-|v|i|ś|'|ń|e|f|s|k|J|i}}; born 12 April 1984 in Łódź) is a Polish engineer working at the European Space Agency (ESA) as a project astronaut since 2023, and was formerly employed at CERN.
Early life and education
Uznański was born in Łódź, Polish People's Republic on 12 April, 1984 – the 23rd anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's first human orbital spaceflight. Every birthday, Uznański's mother would wish him "all the best wishes on Cosmonaut Day". Growing up in the 1980s, after Mirosław Hermaszewski's spaceflight in 1978, Uznański's childhood dream was to go to space.{{cite web|author=Polish Press Agency|date=2025-02-02|title=Leci na Międzynarodową Stację Kosmiczną. Zabiera ze sobą... pierogi|url=https://podroze.onet.pl/aktualnosci/polski-astronauta-zabiera-pierogi-w-kosmos/eflxxz0|website=podroze.onet.pl|publisher=Onet.pl|access-date=2025-02-04}}
Sławosz Uznański was raised in Łódź, attending the 8th Adam Asnyk High School. In 2008, he graduated with honours with master's degree from the Łódź University of Technology and from the University of Nantes; in the same year also received Diplôme d'Ingénieur from the Polytech Nantes.{{cite web | url = https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Astronauts/Slawosz_Uznanski | title = ESA - Sławosz Uznański | publisher = European Space Agency | access-date = 2023-07-03 }} In 2011, he received a doctor's degree with distinction from the University of the Mediterranean Aix-Marseille II for thesis on radiation-tolerant designs for space applications.{{cite web | url = https://polsa.gov.pl/polak-rezerwowym-astronauta-esa/o-polskim-astronaucie/ | title = Sławosz Uznański biografia - POLSA - Polska Agencja Kosmiczna | publisher = Polish Space Agency | access-date = 2023-07-03 }}
Career
During his doctorate, he worked at STMicroelectronics manufacturing facility in Crolles, France.
In 2011, he joined the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva, Switzerland. In 2013, he was appointed as a project lead and senior reliability engineer at CERN. From 2018 to 2020, he was an Engineer in Charge of the Large Hadron Collider.
In 2019, he was a technical expert and reviewer for Horizon 2020 programme; investigating European autonomy and technological competitiveness in the space industry for European Research Executive Agency (REA).
In November 2022, he was announced as a reserve astronaut by the European Astronaut Corps for the 2022 European Space Agency Astronaut Group.{{cite web | url = https://home.cern/news/news/cern/cern-space-staff-member-selected-join-esa-2022-astronaut-class | title = From CERN to space: staff member selected to join the ESA 2022 astronaut class | publisher = CERN | author = Paola Catapano | date = 2022-11-25 | access-date = 2023-07-03 }} In an interview, Uznański revealed that Mirosław Hermaszewski (Poland's first cosmonaut) supported him throughout the process and was the first person to call him with congratulations on the morning after he was selected.
In August 2023, Poland's Development and Technology Minister, Waldemar Buda, announced that a Polish astronaut would fly to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2024, adding that if the mission went ahead Poland would submit the candidature of Uznański, which in turn would have to be approved by the ESA and the American company Axiom Space. Uznański was accepted and is set to become the second Pole to go into space after Mirosław Hermaszewski's 1978 flight with Soyuz 30.{{Cite web |url=https://www.thefirstnews.com/article/polish-astronaut-to-go-into-space-next-year-40457 |title=Polish astronaut to become second ever Polish citizen to go into space |website=thefirstnews.com |date=9 August 2023 |access-date=13 August 2023}}
He joined the ESA to undergo his training for Axiom Mission 4 on 1 September 2023,{{cite web | url = https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Slawosz_Uznanski_from_Poland_to_train_as_a_project_astronaut_at_the_European_Astronaut_Centre | title = Sławosz Uznański from Poland to train as a project astronaut at the European Astronaut Centre | publisher = European Space Agency | author = | date = 2023-09-07 | access-date = 2023-09-07 }} which is currently expected to launch no earlier than April 2025. Onboard the Crew Dragon that will take the mission to the ISS, Uznański will bring the same Polish flag that flew to space in 1978 attached to Hermaszewski's spacesuit as well as the Polish national dish of pierogi. His mission is named Ignis.{{cite web|access-date=2024-12-19 |date=2024-12-02 |language=en-UK |title=N° 68–2024: ESA and Poland reveal 'Ignis' as name of Polish mission to International Space Station |url=https://www.esa.int/Newsroom/Press_Releases/ESA_and_Poland_reveal_Ignis_as_name_of_Polish_mission_to_International_Space_Station |website=European Space Agency}}
References
External links
- [https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Astronauts/Slawosz_Uznanski-Wisniewski Biography] - ESA website
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Uznanski-Wisniewski, Slawosz}}
Category:European Space Agency personnel
Category:Łódź University of Technology alumni
Category:People associated with CERN
Category:Polish aerospace engineers
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