Hungary’s past, present, and future in space came together on Thursday in Budapest, where the Hungarian-born space traveller Charles Simonyi, veteran astronaut Bertalan Farkas, and researchers Tibor Kapu and Gyula Cserényi joined a panel discussion hosted by the HUNOR Hungarian Astronaut Programme and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. The speakers reflected on the evolution of spaceflight, its challenges, and what lies ahead for humanity in orbit.
Bertalan Farkas, who flew aboard Soyuz-36 in 1980 as Hungary’s first astronaut, recalled how he entered the Soviet space programme as a fighter pilot. Out of 240 candidates, 95 volunteered, and only four advanced to training at Star City. His mission focused heavily on physics, manufacturing technologies, and remote sensing experiments, including work with Hungary’s Pille dosimeter, which measured radiation levels aboard space stations and has since been adapted into more advanced, compact devices.
Charles Simonyi, the Hungarian-born software developer and businessman who visited the International Space Station as a space tourist in 2007 and 2009, spoke about his experiences. He emphasized that space tourists underwent the same training as astronauts. His second journey, he noted, was particularly rewarding as he was better prepared and able to participate in biological experiments, including studies on how his own heart condition responded in microgravity. He described weightlessness as both relaxing and physically demanding, noting that back pain is a near-universal experience for astronauts.
Tibor Kapu, who flew on the Axiom Space Ax-4 mission earlier this year, contrasted the spaceflights of 1980 with those of today. While spacecraft were once guided manually, modern systems launch and land autonomously, though manual intervention remains possible. He stressed that astronauts now prepare for long-term stays in space, facing new challenges and carrying out a wider range of scientific tasks. During Ax-4, he conducted 25 experiments in biology, fundamental physics, and materials science.
‘He described weightlessness as both relaxing and physically demanding’
Gyula Cserényi, Kapu’s backup in the HUNOR programme, explained that astronaut selection has also shifted. In earlier decades, fighter pilots were chosen for their ability to manually control spacecraft. Today, astronauts are valued for their ability to conduct multidisciplinary research aboard the ISS. Supporting Kapu from Earth, Cserényi worked with mission control in Houston to coordinate experiments and help optimize the astronaut’s time aboard the station.
The discussion highlighted not only the rapid evolution of technology but also Hungary’s ongoing contribution to global space research. Simonyi expressed confidence that as technology advances, the number of astronauts worldwide will grow exponentially, expanding humanity’s presence in space. Before the panel, Simonyi also gave a lecture on the defining moments of his career and his spaceflights, reflecting on the personal and scientific dimensions of leaving Earth.
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