The experience of space, firsthand

HUNOR (Hungarian to Orbit) is a research astronaut program launched in 2021 with the aim of strengthening Hungary’s role in international space activities and developing its space industry capabilities. As part of the program, Hungary’s astronaut candidates, Tibor Kapu and Gyula Cserényi, were selected from among 247 applicants. Their training began in 2024 in Houston at Axiom Space. Ultimately, Tibor Kapu was given the opportunity to participate in the Ax-4 mission in 2025, during which he spent 18 days on the International Space Station, where he conducted scientific experiments developed in Hungary.

At the Miskolc stop of the HUNOR roadshow, participants in the Hungarian astronaut program spoke about their training, the mysteries of outer space, weightlessness, and their most memorable moments.

We never thought we’d become astronauts one day. For me, the fact that I managed to do this from Nyíregyháza, a remote corner of the country, is a wonderful thing. You need perseverance, hard work, and faith in yourself

—said Tibor Kapu in an interview with the University of Miskolc’s Communication Center.

It’s important to have someone to lean on in every situation.

When I was on the International Space Station, I was completely focused on my tasks: the work, the scientific experiments—and I hardly even noticed how I was feeling. However, when I had the chance to talk to my family and friends, I truly understood how special and valuable it is to be a part of this

– he said.