Order of St. Stephen for Bertalan Farkas and Tibor Kapu

Research astronauts Bertalan Farkas and Tibor Kapu received the Hungarian Order of St. Stephen from Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok at the Sándor Palace during the national holiday on August 20.

The Order of St. Stephen of Hungary is awarded each year as Hungary's highest honor, and this year we would like to express to these two outstanding figures in Hungarian space travel that their achievements have not only earned them a place in the history of space exploration and world science, but also in the hearts of the Hungarian people, the head of state emphasized.

Just as the successes of our athletes and the world-famous inventions of our inventors are a source of joy and pride for all Hungarians, so too are the fantastic space missions of today's honorees rightly surrounded by the admiration of millions of Hungarians, the head of state emphasized. He added that it is a great treasure that, while celebrating the feast day of our state founder, we can also experience the often difficult to see but solid and uplifting unity of the Hungarian people.

The missions of the two honorees have put our country on the map of space exploration, and with their help, our scientists can be at the forefront of scientific development, shaping the innovations of the future, Tamás Sulyok pointed out, adding that knowledge centers and countries have joined forces to advance the fate of humanity, and Hungarians are also part of this.

According to a summary by MTI, Bertalan Farkas, advisor to the HUNOR Hungarian Astronaut Program, retired brigadier general, fighter pilot and research astronaut, in recognition of his work strengthening the reputation of Hungary and Hungarian science worldwide, his exemplary dedication to Hungarian space exploration, from his legendary mission as the first Hungarian astronaut (in 1980) to the successful implementation of the HUNOR Hungarian Astronaut Program.

Tibor Kapu, research astronaut of the HUNOR Hungarian Astronaut Program, strengthening the reputation of Hungary and Hungarian science worldwide, dedicated to the successful implementation of the domestic space strategy and the HUNOR Hungarian Astronaut Program (in 2025), and whose outstanding achievements have earned him this award in recognition of his mission to represent the Hungarian nation and its exceptional talents in a manner worthy of the world.