US lifts sanctions related to Paks nuclear plant upgrade
15 minutes ago
The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying the crew of the Ax-4 mission, including Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu, docked with the International Space Station on June 27.
The mission, organised by Axiom Space, SpaceX and NASA, is planned to take 14 days and is headed by US astronaut Peggy Whitson. The two other crew members are India's Shubhanshu Shukla and Poland's Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski.
The crew is scheduled to complete nearly 60 scientific experiments during their journey for 31 countries, with special regard to the study of micro-gravity on low Earth orbit. Experiments will also be conducted in the areas of cancer and diabetes research. Fully 25 experiments will be completed under Hungary's Hunor scientific programme to learn more about space and its impacts on humans and various materials.
The 33-year-old astronaut has become the second Hungarian to travel to space, following in the footsteps of Bertalan Farkas, who flew in 1980. Unlike Charles Simonyi, who, as a private space tourist, does not count as part of Hungary’s official astronaut lineage, Kapu's mission marks a significant milestone in Hungary’s state-supported space ambitions.
His journey was made possible by the Hunor Programme, the country’s ambitious national space initiative, launched in early 2020, designed to develop domestic space capabilities and foster international cooperation. It represents a strategic move by Hungary to deepen its role within the European Space Agency and international space missions.
"The space business isn’t out of reach for Hungary," Viktor Orban said commenting Kapu’s mission, adding that the sector that’s growing and offers more and more opportunities, so it’s good if Hungarian private businesses are present and demonstrate with certain symbolic things, like our astronaut, that we Hungarians have a presence in the industry of the future.”
On Sunday, June 29, Hungary’s veteran leader spoke via video link with Tibor Kapu.
Related Content
News
US lifts sanctions related to Paks nuclear plant upgrade
The expansion of the Paks II nuclear power plant could now gain "new momentum" following Washington's decision to lift sanctions related to the project.
Kremlin intensifies missile attacks on Ukraine, brings down F-16
The Armed Forces of Russia (AFR) brought down one of Ukraine’s valuable F-16 fighters at the weekend that was trying to counter another massive missile barrage. Such strikes have been intensifying in the last month.
Budapest Pride’s record turnout exposes Viktor Orban’s waning grip on power
Sheer scale of the event and the state's eventual decision to allow it to proceed signal a loss of control and resolve within Hungary's ruling Fidesz.
Two more Georgian opposition leaders jailed bringing total to six in one week
The ruling Georgia Dream party’s ongoing crackdown on political opponents has placed the majority of Georgia’s pro-Western opposition leaders in jail and sparked a huge international backlash.
