Poles Ponder Satellite Patron

The results of an internet poll on the Education Ministry's website to choose a patron for Poland's first satellite are expected this month, with 17th century Gdansk astronomer Jan Hevelius in third place earlier last month.

More than 45 000 votes have been cast by internet users, and so far science-fiction writer Stanislaw Lem (author of such novels as "Solaris") is in the lead for having a satellite named after him. In second place is Sieradz-born space travel pioneer Ary Sternfeld.

The first Polish satellite, which is being built by the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences with the Copernicus Astronomy Centre in Toruń, will launch from Sriharikota spaceport in India in 2011.