Tibor Kapu Arrives in Budapest

After several months away and nearly two weeks in space, research astronaut Tibor Kapu arrived in Budapest this morning.

Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu (Photo: AFP)

A delegation of athletes and public figures welcomed Tibor Kapu upon his arrival in Budapest. At a press conference held at the Liszt Ferenc International Airport, the research astronaut said:

I've only been standing on Hungarian soil for a few minutes, but I know that a great many things have changed. Today our backs are a little straighter, and our eyes are aiming a tad higher.

The research astronaut, visibly moved, expressed gratitude to everyone who supported him in his preparation and during the space mission. Mr. Kapu stressed that, thanks to the research carried out in space, Hungary has advanced years in the fields of biology and medicine. Regarding the success of the experiments, the astronaut explained that during the 18-day mission they managed to accomplish more tasks than average, and their effectiveness also exceeded the average.

The Hunor program continues. Just as a kid from Nyiregyhaza made it into space, a small country can also achieve something great,

– Tibor Kapu declared.

In response to a journalist’s question, Mr. Kapu emphasized that the task of the coming months will be to evaluate the research results, publish them, and then deliver them to every corner of the country. Answering a question from Magyar Nemzet, Mr. Kapu added that he is looking forward to the months ahead with excitement: 

in the coming months we will strive to reach as many people as possible with the results of our space research and to promote it among young people.

Replying to another journalist’s question, Mr. Kapu said he would gladly repeat his spaceflight, but for now completing the current research and continuing the Hunor program remain the top priorities.

Regarding the role of backup astronaut Gyula Cserenyi, Mr. Kapu emphasized: 

this is a topic that I could talk about for over an hour. Gyula knew the research to be carried out on the space station better than anyone else and, in addition to his professional expertise, he gave me enormous emotional support.

Tibor Kapu expressed his thanks both to Gyula Cserenyi and to his family, who accompanied him throughout the entire eight-month program. 

At the airport, the recently returned Hungarian astronaut was greeted by a large delegation of athletes, Olympians, and public figures, including astronaut Bertalan Farkas, Olympic champion Daniel Gyurta, and Orsolya Ferencz, ministerial commissioner for space research.

The four-member crew of the Axiom-4 mission, including Tibor Kapu, spent 18 days on the International Space Station, where they carried out more than 60 experiments. The Dragon space capsule returned on July 15 with over 260 kilograms of cargo, including NASA hardware and the data from the mission’s experiments.

Tibor Kapu splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California on July 15.

The active phase of the astronaut’s rehabilitation then continued until August 8. The processe was personallly monitored by experts from Semmelweis University.

Cover photo: Astronaut Tibor Kapu (Source: AFP)