Four Hungarian astronaut candidates conclude survival training, but only one will go to space

"It's important for Hungary to be ready to make the most of the historic 30 days that a Hungarian astronaut will spend in space" Orsolya Ferencz, Ministerial Commissioner for Space Research at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade told Magyar Nemzet in an interview about the training of Hungarian astronaut candidates. According to the commissioner, the four candidates have in recent weeks completed their training on land and in water, and all four are preparing with maximum effort and dedication.

But there is no room for sentimentality, as only one of them will become an astronaut, at least under the Hungarian astronaut programme "Hunor"

- Ferencz added. The Commissioner said that the astronaut nominees are undergoing physical fitness training, medical examinations, and are also learning about the characteristics of the weightless environment, and have most recently undergone survival training with the help of experts from the Hungarian Defence Forces because they need to be prepared in case they land in a place where such skills are needed.

"Those who have undergone the above training have the highest level of knowledge and the best characteristics both psychologically and physically. The number of candidates will first be reduced to two, and their training will continue in the United States. The second Hungarian astronaut (the first one, Bertalan Farkas spent close to 8 days in space in 1978 as part of the Interkosmos programme) will of course be selected in cooperation with the American experts on the basis of the observations made there. It is important to emphasize that the selected astronaut's partner must be ready to act as a backup in case of trouble and, if necessary, become the second Hungarian astronaut ever" Orsolya Ferencz said.

As to when the Hungarian astronaut's mission will take place, the space commissioner said it's planned for 2024, "but it could easily be the first half of 2025". "It's not possible to see that far ahead, there are many things affecting traffic at the International Space Station and we have no control over that" she explained.

The four astronaut candidates were introduced at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in March: Tibor Kapu is a development engineer, Gyula Cserényi is an electrical engineer, András Szakály is a structural engineer, and Dr Ádám Schlégl is an orthopaedic surgeon. One of them will be selected to go on the mission and will have to carry out eight scientific experiments while on board the ISS.