While ESA project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski conducts scientific experiments and outreach aboard the International Space Station on Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), a dedicated team on Earth works behind the scenes to make it all possible, ensuring every aspect of Poland’s Ignis mission runs smoothly.
This photo captures the Ax-4 core team in action at the Columbus Control Centre (COL-CC) in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany.
Operated by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) for ESA, the Columbus Control Centre is Europe’s mission control for the Columbus laboratory, the largest European contribution to the Space Station. Located near Munich, COL-CC is one of five global control centres supporting Space Station operations, alongside the US, Japan, Canada and Russia.
Supporting ESA activities on Ax-4, the Col-CC team coordinates daily planning, monitors mission progress and relays priorities to the on-console flight director. It’s a hub of real-time decision-making, technical troubleshooting and international collaboration.
Twice a week, the team holds crew conferences with Sławosz, discussing mission status, tackling anomalies and answering his questions. In the session shown here, they were reviewing a science activity, the results of educational demonstrations for Polish students and a minor laptop issue in the module.
Sławosz is the second of a new generation of European astronauts flying on a commercial human spaceflight mission with Axiom Space. His work includes scientific research, outreach and technology demonstrations, many coordinated by the COL-CC team.
Operating 24/7, COL-CC is the beating heart of Europe’s presence on the International Space Station, ensuring the Columbus module runs safely and efficiently, day and night, orbit after orbit.