On September 8, the Csányi Foundation’s Pécs Group 3 had the opportunity to attend a special event: on the stage of the Romhányi György Aula at the University of Pécs, astronaut-researcher Tibor Kapu from the HUNOR program, along with his colleague Gyula Cserényi, shared their experiences and insights. Tibor Kapu spent 18 days on the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 mission, during which he conducted several Hungarian research projects in space, including those related to the University of Pécs.
The event attracted tremendous interest: well before the start, a long line had already formed outside the University of Pécs Faculty of General Medicine building. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Ádám Schlégl, a former student of the University, orthopedic specialist, and a former astronaut candidate in the HUNOR program himself.
The astronauts described their preparation in detail, which included tests on fighter jets and aerobatic planes, participation in land and water survival training, centrifuge trials, and enduring multi-day isolation. For Tibor Kapu, the six-day isolation was one of the most memorable experiences.
The training continued in the United States, where out of four candidates, Tibor Kapu was ultimately selected for the mission, while Gyula Cserényi accompanied him as the backup throughout the entire journey. The path to launch was not without challenges: the Axiom-4 team was placed in quarantine multiple times, spending a total of 32 days in isolation to ensure the sterility of the spacecraft.
Following the launch, the 28-hour journey to the ISS began. After docking, their work commenced: the Hungarian astronaut team participated in 25 experiments, five of which were related to the University of Pécs.
Perhaps the most exciting part for the audience was the description of daily life in space. Kapu Tibor explained that it takes three to four days to get used to weightlessness, and movement is made entirely unique by floating. They ate with spoons, and most of the food was, as he put it, “mushy and tasteless,” yet still varied. His favorite meal ended up being eel. Sleeping was surprisingly comfortable, while hygiene presented real challenges—for example, toothpaste was simply swallowed to save water. The most uplifting experience for him was the view of Earth from the station’s dome.
At the end of the evening, Tibor Kapu and Gyula Cserényi shared personal messages with the young audience:
– “It’s important to find what you truly love to do, what you’re good at. Set goals for yourself and pursue them. Persevere, because there will always be obstacles, there will always be things that don’t go as planned, but never give up,” emphasized Gyula Cserényi.
– “Humans are social beings; relationships are what help us get through difficult days. During quarantine, I could have canceled meetings whenever my friends or family visited. In the first two weeks, there were times when I was so tired from the workload that I would have preferred to sleep. But I never canceled, and after each such occasion, I had much more energy than if I had slept for an hour. So I say that while it’s important to find your true passion, also think of those whose shoulders you can stand on at the end of the day,” concluded Tibor Kapu.
We all returned home enriched and energized from this incredible experience. We are grateful to have participated in this truly inspiring program.
Andrea Bálint-Orsós, mentor, Pécs Group 3
