In June 2024, the Perspektywy Women in Tech Summit welcomed a very special guest to its stage: Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, newly selected astronaut of the European Space Agency — and at the time, a man with an extraordinary dream.
Today, just one year later, that dream has launched — quite literally. On June 25, 2025, at 8:31 AM CET, Uznański soared into space aboard the Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Ax-4 mission, en route to the International Space Station.
But before the mission, before the suit, before the liftoff — there was a fireside chat at the Summit that ignited the imagination of thousands.
A Summit Moment to Remember
The energy in the room at the 2024 Perspektywy Women in Tech Summit was electric. Sławosz sat down in front of a packed audience, sharing his story with warmth, honesty, and purpose.
“I love the Summit. I feel the energy here,” he began. “It’s a community where we believe that we all can create global tech. That’s exactly the spirit that took me to space.”
In a candid and inspiring conversation, he revealed the winding path from CERN to ESA, and how being born on April 12 — the anniversary of Gagarin’s first flight — secretly tied him to the stars from the beginning.
“When I chose my PhD, I knew: this is it. I wanted to build the technologies of the future — chips used not just in phones, but in orbit.”
The audience listened, captivated, as he spoke of his first science conference, where he realized he could stand shoulder to shoulder with NASA engineers.
“From the stage, I was talking to other scientists and I thought — I belong here.”
From Dream to Reality: Ax-4 Mission Takes Off
Fast forward to June 2025. After a year of intense ESA training, including simulations of zero-gravity life, medical prep, daily routines (yes, even how to use the toilet in orbit), and hardware operation across the American, Japanese, and European ISS modules — Uznański is now in space.
He will spend two weeks on the International Space Station, conducting 13 advanced experiments designed by Polish universities and tech companies — ranging from astronaut health and biotechnology to AI-assisted materials testing.
“I Carry Your Hearts and Hopes With Me”
Just after launch, the world heard from him again — this time from orbit:
“It’s a wonderful feeling to be here. When I unbuckled my seatbelt and looked out the window, it was breathtaking. I carry your hearts, your hopes with me.”
“We’re flying over Europe — soon over Poland. I’m here to represent all of you. This mission is a symbol of how far Poland has come. We’re showcasing our technology, our future.”
Summit Conversations that Shift Paradigms
During the Summit fireside chat, the discussion turned to gender balance in space. When asked about women astronauts, Sławosz didn’t hesitate:
“This field used to be male-dominated. But now? In my ESA cohort, the gender balance is 50-50.”
He proudly listed his fellow female astronauts: Sophie Adenot (France), Rosemary Coogan (UK), and Catherine Bennell-Pegg (Australia) — each one preparing to push boundaries in orbit.
The audience laughed and gasped when the host recalled how, just a few years earlier, a U.S. space mission struggled to estimate how many tampons a female astronaut would need for 100 days. Uznański nodded:
“That shows how much we still need to learn. But we’re learning — and space is changing.”
A Mission of National Pride and Global Vision
Uznański’s mission is not just scientific — it’s symbolic. A new chapter in Poland’s space legacy, it brings back the national flag to orbit after nearly 50 years.
He closed the Summit conversation with a vision:
“I hope to look back at Earth and see Poland — and I hope that moment will inspire the next generation to build the future of technology. Space is no longer distant. It’s ours too.”
The Summit Spirit, Now in Orbit
From the buzzing energy of the Perspektywy Summit stage to the silence of space, one thing remains constant: Uznański-Wiśniewski’s mission is powered by inspiration — and it started with a story shared in Warsaw.
Let it echo now across Europe, through classrooms, and into the dreams of every young person who saw themselves in his story.
We believed with him. Now we look up — and he’s there.
Stay tuned for more updates from the ISS — and for the next unforgettable chapter at the Summit 2026.
