After 45 years Bertalan Farkas’s space mission, on June 25, 2025, at 8:31 AM Hungarian time, Hungarian research astronaut Tibor Kapu launched to the International Space Station aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
During the 14-day mission, the Hungarian research astronaut will conduct nearly 30 scientific experiments aboard the International Space Station. The experiments were selected from proposals submitted by Hungarian universities, research institutes, and companies. Their aim is to promote the international integration of Hungarian space research and to deepen Hungary's bilateral scientific collaborations.
It is noteworthy that on the Axiom-4 mission, alongside Hungary, India and Poland are also making their second ventures into space. The crew is commanded by American astronaut Peggy Whitson. The mission includes pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, a distinguished member of the Indian Air Force (IAF), and mission specialist Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, a Polish scientist and engineer with significant experience in science and space research. Tibor Kapu is also participating in the expedition as a mission specialist.
Kapu earned his mechanical engineering degree at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, followed by a master’s degree in polymer technology. His expertise has contributed to advancements in the pharmaceutical and logistics industries, and over his career, he worked on developing hybrid car batteries in the automotive sector. His professional path took him to Belgium and the United States, where he further honed his knowledge in advanced technologies. From 2022 until the launch of the Hungarian Astronaut Program, Kapu worked at an aerospace technology company focusing on space radiation protection.
