Poland’s culinary and cultural heritage is set to reach new heights—literally—as traditional Polish pierogi prepare to embark on a journey to space. During an event at the Copernicus Science Center in Warsaw on February 5, 2025, the four members of the Axiom Mission 4 were joined by Poland’s Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, to discuss their upcoming mission.

At a news conference held on Wednesday, three of the astronauts shared their excitement about the mission, describing their intensive training and their preparations for the scientific experiments they will conduct during their nearly two-week stay in space. As part of the mission, each crew member will take items of national and personal significance aboard the spacecraft.

Mission Commander Peggy Whitson, a U.S. astronaut and biochemist, revealed that she will bring the necklace she wore at her wedding, as well as photos of her family and the crew. Meanwhile, Polish astronaut Uznański-Wiśniewski will carry freeze-dried traditional pierogi, poems by Nobel Prize-winning poet Wisława Szymborska, music composed by Frédéric Chopin, a piece of amber, and salt from the historic Wieliczka Salt Mine. He will also take a small Polish white-and-red flag—an homage to Poland’s first astronaut, Mirosław Hermaszewski, who wore the same flag during his 1978 spaceflight.

Tibor Kapu of Hungary will bring a photo of Bertalan Farkas, Hungary’s first astronaut who traveled to space in 1980, along with family pictures and the Hungarian flag.

The mission’s pilot, Shubhanshu Shukla of India, was unable to attend the media event.

Axiom Mission 4 is set to launch soon, marking another milestone in international space exploration. With Polish pierogi and other national symbols on board, the mission promises to carry a taste of Earth’s diverse cultures into the cosmos.