Development and Technology Minister Waldemar Buda made the statement in an interview with Polish state news agency PAP on Friday.
He said Uznański’s mission into space “is provisionally slated for 2024.”
Buda added that, "in preparation for the project," Poland must “formalise cooperation with the ESA under new terms,” as well as “consult with the American side, which will also participate in this mission.”
On Thursday, the ESA said in a statement shared with the PAP news agency that it was “considering options” together with the Polish government, in order “to facilitate a flight into space” for Uznański.
The European agency added that details would be released only after an agreement is reached among all the parties involved, “including the international partners of the International Space Station (ISS)” programme.
Poland to sign new deal with ESA
Buda said on Friday that he had "issued a letter of intent to the ESA regarding Poland’s future cooperation" with the European agency.
He added that the document “proposes the participation of a Polish astronaut in an ESA space mission, as well as outlining a role for Polish firms in the development of the space industry."
For its part, "Poland has offered to increase its financial contribution to the ESA by hundreds of millions of euros,” Buda said.
“Hopefully, this will be a sufficient offer to accomplish Poland’s objectives," he stated.
Buda told the media that the new agreement between Poland and the ESA could be signed by the end of July.
If he launches into space, Uznański will become Poland’s second astronaut after the late Mirosław Hermaszewski, who took part in an eight-day Soviet space mission in 1978, Polish media reported.
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP, ESA, money.pl, interia.pl