Tibor Kapu’s return to Earth on Tuesday marked the end of the stage of the mission that the Hungarian research astronaut spent on the International Space Station.
The SpaceX Dragon space capsule carrying members of the Axiom-4 mission, including Kapu, landed off the coast of California at 11.31 am Hungarian time on Tuesday.
The SpaceX Dragon capsule is expected to land near the coast of California this morning, after a 22.5-hour journey.
Tibor Kapu is conducting 25 of the mission's 60 experiments within the framework of the HUNOR Hungarian Space Programme.
"I'm still a bit moved right now, this is the first time I've ever done this in my life, I spoke to a great man, after all," PM Orbán said in a video posted on Facebook after the call.
29 June 2025, Budapest and the International Space Station (ISS)
The Axiom-4 commercial mission is commanded by American astronaut Peggy Whitson, and the crew includes Tibor Kapu, Indian pilot Shubhanshu Shukla and Polish mission specialist Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski.
There are four astronauts taking part in the mission, headed by Peggy Whitson from the US. Peggy will be joined by Hungary's Tibor Kapu, India's Shubhanshu Shukla and Poland's Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski.