Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen will be heading to the moon as part of Artemis II – the first mission to carry humans around the moon in more than 50 years. He’ll set out on the lunar launch as early as November, 2024.
To date, the Canadian Space Agency has sent nine of its astronauts into orbit, in some cases more than once. Here are some of the memorable firsts notched by Canada’s space pioneers over the years.
Canadian Astronaut Marc Garneau conducts an experiment onboard Challenger during Mission STS-41G in October 1984.
October, 1984: The first Canadian in space
Marc Garneau was the first Canadian in space, one of the few chosen from among 4,300 who answered a newspaper ad in the summer of 1984. The Quebec naval officer’s 8-year-old twins at the time thought he was going to Disney world. The mission was to attempt the first refuelling of satellites in space using hydrazine, and to launch the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite into a high orbit and then descend into a lower orbit to match that of Earth.
Roberta Bondar spent eight days in space on the Space Shuttle Discovery in January, 1992.The Canadian Press
January, 1992: The first Canadian woman in space
Among the people who answered the newspaper ad in the summer of 1984 was the first Canadian woman to go to space, Roberta Bondar. After 19 postponed space flights, she spent eight days in space on the Space Shuttle Discovery mission STS-42. As a medical doctor with expertise in medicine, she looked at how humans adapt to space and what makes people sick in orbit.
Astronaut Chris Hadfield performing his rendition of David Bowie’s A Space Oddity aboard the International Space Station in 2013.NASA TV/The New York Times News Service
November, 1995: The first guitar player in space
Chris Hadfield was the only Canadian to board the Russian Space Station Mir in 1995. On that same flight he became the first Canadian to operate the Canadarm in orbit.
Among his other four trips to space, he became the first Canadian to play a guitar in space in 2013. He even recorded a cover of Space Oddity by David Bowie, in space.
Canadian Space Agency's Dafydd R. (Dave) Williams describes his experience in space at a press conference 2007 after the space shuttle Endeavour landed at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images
July, 1998 to November, 2002: First non-U.S. astronaut to lead a NASA directorate
Dafydd Williams was the first non-U.S. astronaut to lead a NASA directorate between July, 1998 to November, 2002. He held a six-month position as the first deputy associate administrator for crew health and safety in the Office of Space Flight at NASA Headquarters in 2001 at the same time.
In April, 1998, Williams flew to space for 16 days, aboard Space Shuttle Columbia. The mission consisted of 26 individual life science experiments dedicated to advancing neuroscience research.
Julie Payette in the forward flight deck of the Space Shuttle Endeavour on ISS-docking day.
May, 1999: First docking with the International Space Station
Julie Payette became the first Canadian aboard the International Space Station, and the first French Canadian woman in space in May, 1999.
When she was a teen, a college recruiter advised her to consider becoming an airline hostess. Fortunately, she ignored her career tip.
April, 2001: First Canadian to perform a spacewalk
In April, 2001, Chris Hadfield flew to the International Space Station to install the Canadarm2. He performed two spacewalks, making him the first Canadian to ever leave a spacecraft and float freely in space.
Canadian astronaut Bob Thirsk holds plants while on board the International Space Station.The Canadian Press
May to December, 2009: First Canadian long-duration space mission
Robert Thirsk was the first Canadian on a long-duration mission from May to December, 2009, with his voyage lasting six-months in the orbital laboratory in the International Space Station.
Until then, the longest a Canadian had spent in orbit was about 17 days.
The flight marked the first time the space station was fully operational, ramping up its crew complement to six members.
March to May, 2013: First Canadian to take command of the International Space Station
Hadfield became the first Canadian commander of the International Space Station in 2013, when he officially took the reins of Expedition 35 in the orbiting laboratory. He is the second astronaut who is not American or Russian to command a mission.
Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques inside the cupola while practicing Canadarm2 robotics maneuvers.NASA IMAGES
December, 2018 to June, 2019: Longest single space mission by a Canadian
David Saint-Jacques had the longest Canadian astronaut mission to date, lasting just over six months, from December, 2018 to June, 2019.
On the trip, he became the Canadian astronaut who operated the Canadarm2 in a six-and-a half-hour spacewalk.
Others who flew for Canada
On his second trip to space in September, 2006, Stephen MacLean became the first Canadian to operate Canadarm2.
Bjarni Tryggvason flew aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on Mission on Aug. 7, 1997 as a payload specialist. His primary role was to test MIM-2 and perform fluid science experiments designed to examine sensitivity to spacecraft vibrations.
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