Tibor Kapu Begins Pioneering Experiments Aboard the Space Station

Tibor Kapu is working as scheduled, and the experiments have begun at the International Space Station (ISS), said the ministerial commissioner responsible for space research and head of the HUNOR program (Hungarian to Orbit astronaut program) on Monday on ATV‘s morning show.

Orsolya Ferencz explained that the Hungarian astronaut, Tibor Kapu is doing well and responding well to prolonged weightlessness. We can also be proud of the Hungarian astronaut because he was in the best condition of the entire crew and was the calmest as he awaited the rocket launch, that had been postponed several times, she added.

The Hungarian astronaut’s program is scheduled to last 14 days, but the final duration will depend on NASA’s decision, that will be influenced by the position of the space station and weather conditions on Earth.

“One thing is certain, Tibor Kapu will be busy every second and will make the most of his time up there,” added Orsolya Ferencz.

She also noted that

Tibor Kapu will conduct nearly 30 experiments in space, specifically designed to support the developments of Hungarian engineers and scientists.

The results of the experiments will first be published by the project leaders. They will have access to the data and analyze it, but later they will make it available to the scientific community, the ministerial commissioner added.

Fact

The Ax-4 mission launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida toward the International Space Station (ISS) with Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu on board on June 25, at 8:31 a.m. Central European Time. The mission, commanded by American Peggy Whitson, includes Indian pilot Shubhanshu Shukla and Polish mission specialist Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, in addition to Kapu. Following a successful docking maneuver next day, the scientific part of the mission has begun.

Orsolya Ferencz said that the ISS is the highest technological achievement of the human mind, costing nearly $100 billion, but the benefits it generates are much greater than that. “I think it is very important that highly trained researchers continue to be able to work freely for humanity in these lower orbits,” said the ministerial commissioner, referring to the so-called low-orbit scientific laboratory.

She also mentioned that the European Union’s space act has now entered the negotiation phase, indicating that Europe will participate more decisively in the most important industry of the 21st century, space exploration.

In addition to his research, Tibor Kapu also finds time for educational activities, as shared on the Facebook page of HUNOR. He recently participated in a physics class via live video link, led by master teachers from Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) and Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) based on their own ideas and inventions.

The Hungarian astronaut was “followed live by enthusiastic young people at Huniverzum, where it was revealed how an astronaut can create gravity in weightlessness and bring a sparkle to children’s eyes,” reads the post.

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