The launch of the first Polish mission to the International Space Station is getting closer. Dr. Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, a project astronaut for the European Space Agency (ESA) and a member of the four-person crew of the Axiom 4 mission, will spend two weeks in microgravity conditions conducting several technological and scientific experiments proposed by Polish companies and institutions. Accompanying him will be meals from the Kielce-based company LYOFOOD, which, in collaboration with the European Space Agency, has created a special menu designed specifically for the mission.
Photos: LYOFOOD, ESA
The goal of the Bonus Food project is to provide astronauts participating in space missions with special meals, serving as an addition to the standard menu, which meets nutritional and operational requirements in orbit. “During a stay on the International Space Station, we don’t have access to fresh products like we do on Earth. Fresh vegetables and fruits are a real luxury, available only for a few days after a cargo resupply mission arrives. Most food consists of canned meals or freeze-dried packets,” explains Dr. Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski.
From a technical standpoint, Bonus Food meals do not differ from other space food. Their uniqueness lies in their flavor, evoking memories of places thousands of kilometers away. “It’s like a bridge between space and one’s home country, family house, or favorite restaurant. If a beloved dish can boost energy and improve mood in daily life, imagine its impact during a multi-week mission in orbit. From a psychological perspective, it’s an effective way to lift morale,” says Laura Godek, co-founder and CEO of LYOFOOD.
Bonus Food also helps strengthen bonds among the crew—sharing meals and tasting unique dishes together is an integral part of life on the ISS. “I wanted a truly Polish menu that I could share with my fellow astronauts,” adds Dr. Uznański-Wiśniewski.
What Will Astronauts on the ISS Taste This Year? Astronauts aboard the International Space Station will enjoy pierogi with cabbage and mushrooms, tomato soup with pasta, vegetable leczo with buckwheat, and an apple crumble. The recipes for the first three dishes were created by renowned Polish chef and restaurateur Mateusz Gessler, while the crumble was selected from LYOFOOD’s dessert offerings.
“I believe that a person is worth as much as the challenges they can overcome. The challenge Sławosz presented to me was so exciting and unique that I accepted it without hesitation. I only realized its scale later when I started considering the specific execution methods. At first, I thought I could pack the prepared food into cans and jars, but I quickly learned that the luggage allowance for astronauts is so limited that this option was out of the question. I turned to the amazing women at LYOFOOD, who explained the entire freeze-drying process and its advantages to me. Thanks to our shared dedication to this project, I became the only person in Poland whose pierogi are going to space,” said Mateusz Gessler.
As Laura Godek explains, food sent to the ISS must meet strict criteria and remain edible for two years. “Fortunately, we have over three decades of experience in freeze-drying technology. When the opportunity to collaborate with ESA arose, we knew this was the perfect project for us. Of course, there were surprises along the way. Sławosz’s beloved pierogi turned out to be a major technological challenge, and we had to get creative to make this dream a reality. But we wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.”
As part of the Ignis mission, sponsored by the Polish government and supported by the European Space Agency (ESA), the Ministry of Development and Technology (MRiT), and the Polish Space Agency (POLSA), an ambitious technological and scientific program will be carried out. The program includes a series of experiments proposed by the Polish space industry and developed under ESA’s leadership. This mission will be part of the commercial Axiom Mission 4 crewed flight, scheduled for this spring. With it, Dr. Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, an ESA project astronaut, will become the second Polish person in space after Mirosław Hermaszewski and the first to fly to the International Space Station (ISS). To celebrate its collaboration with ESA, LYOFOOD has prepared a special treat for space and astronautics enthusiasts. The meals developed by the company for the mission will be available for regular purchase, and the SPACE MENU will be expanded with special offerings for children and young people. More details will be available soon at lyofood.pl.
Bonus Food
“I first heard about the Bonus Food project on my very first day at the European Space Agency, and I immediately thought it would be great to bring some Polish specialties into orbit. A colleague suggested Mateusz Gessler’s name to me. We quickly connected because we had a lot in common – we both spent a significant part of our lives in France, and we share passions like sailing and mountain hiking. That’s why I chose Mateusz.” – Dr. Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski
PIEROGI WITH CABBAGE AND MUSHROOMS
“Pierogi were always my first choice! I enjoy making them myself, and while living abroad, I often shared them with friends from different countries. It was an obvious pick for me, but developing a version suitable for consumption in orbit turned out to be quite a challenge—both in terms of freeze-drying and meeting the requirements for preparing meals on the Space Station. You can add water to the product, but there’s nowhere to pour out any excess! Fortunately, a solution that allows pierogi to fly into space was found.”
Sauerkraut seasoned with marjoram, bay leaf, allspice, and pepper, stewed with onion and mushrooms, then wrapped in soft dough. All of it is immersed in a golden vegetable broth with carrot, parsley root, and porcini mushroom pieces.
Drink the broth, eat the pierogi!
TOMATO SOUP
“Tomato soup is the taste of my childhood and a memory of my family home.”
A classic Polish tomato soup, the queen of soups. This time, undoubtedly with pasta, so that even hundreds of kilometers above Earth, it tastes just like it does at Sławosz’s home! Made with juicy, ripe tomatoes and a rich vegetable broth infused with parsley and dill, topped with a spoonful of cream and a pinch of black pepper.
POLISH “LECZO” WITH BUCKWHEAT GROATS
“Leczo with buckwheat groats was Mateusz Gessler’s idea. He convinced me because it’s delicious, and since it freeze-dries well, it retains all its flavor!”
Zucchini, bell peppers, eggplant, and red onion stewed in a tomato sauce with a clove of garlic, a pinch of lovage, and thyme. A fragrant vegetable stew served with unroasted buckwheat groats. Originally from Hungarian cuisine, leczo has firmly established itself as a favorite on Polish tables. I wonder what the Hungarian astronaut assigned to the Ax-4 mission will say about our version!
APPLE CRUMBLE
“We chose apple crumble from LYOFOOD’s dessert selection. Out of all the recipes, this one tasted the best to me, and I want to share it with the rest of the crew in orbit. After all, Polish apples are the best in the world!”
Anyone who has already tried our crumble knows that it will be a worthy representative of Polish sweets. Sweet apples baked with a generous pinch of cinnamon, wrapped in a traditional, crunchy crumble topping, will bring to mind the best homemade apple pies and tarts—even in space!