Canadian Astronaut Corps
Encyclopedia
The Canadian Astronaut Corps is a unit of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) (CSA) that selects, trains, and provides astronaut
s as crew members for U.S. and Russian space missions.
Since 1984, when Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space, eight Canadians have flown on NASA Space Shuttles and on Russian Soyuz rocket in 15 missions.
In May 2009, Robert Thirsk flew to the International Space Station (ISS) for a six-month stay, thus becoming the first Canadian to stay aboard the ISS for an extended period. On December 1, 2009, after spending 188 days in space, Robert Thirsk returned to Earth aboard a Soyuz spacecraft.
That same year, in response to the first call for Canadian astronauts, the Canadian Astronaut Program received more than 4,000 applications. After a rigorous evaluation period, Roberta Bondar, Marc Garneau, Steve MacLean, Ken Money, Bob Thirsk, and Bjarni Tryggvason were selected based on their exceptional academic backgrounds, professional experience, health, and communication skills.
In 1989, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) was established as an independent government agency to deal with all Canadian matters relating to space, including space exploration, remote sensing, and satellite communication. The Canadian Astronaut Program was included in this amalgamation.
In 1992, when the Canadian Space Agency announced that it would recruit four more individuals to undergo astronaut training, 5,000 interested Canadians applied. After a six-month selection process, Chris Hadfield, Mike McKay, Julie Payette, and Dave (Dafydd) Williams were selected.
In the summer of 1992, Roberta Bondar and Ken Money both left the program to return to their research activities. Mike McKay resigned in early 1995, and Dave Williams retired from the Astronaut Corps on March 31, 2008. Marc Garneau was appointed Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Space Agency on February 1, 2001, and became President on November 22 of the same year. He left the Agency on November 28, 2005. On September 1, 2008, Steve MacLean was appointed President of the Canadian Space Agency, a position he holds to this day.
In March 2008, the Canadian Space Agency launched a new recruitment campaign entitled Do You Have What it Takes? Once again, a large number of Canadians responded. Over 5,300 applications were received. In May 2009, following a lengthy selection process that took about a year, Jeremy Hansen and David Saint-Jacques were the two candidates chosen.
Robert Thirsk announced his retirement in October 2010, leaving only two CSA astronauts qualified for space flight along with the two candidates recruited in 2009 for the Astronaut Corps now in training.
, Marc Garneau
, Steve MacLean
, Michael McKay, Kenneth Money
, Robert Thirsk
, Bjarni Tryggvason, Dave Williams
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
s as crew members for U.S. and Russian space missions.
Since 1984, when Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space, eight Canadians have flown on NASA Space Shuttles and on Russian Soyuz rocket in 15 missions.
In May 2009, Robert Thirsk flew to the International Space Station (ISS) for a six-month stay, thus becoming the first Canadian to stay aboard the ISS for an extended period. On December 1, 2009, after spending 188 days in space, Robert Thirsk returned to Earth aboard a Soyuz spacecraft.
History
The Canadian Astronaut Program was established under the management of the National Research Council of Canada in 1983, when the United States invited Canada to fly an astronaut on the Space Shuttle. This invitation led to the creation of a permanent corps of Canadian astronauts to coordinate and conduct Canadian experiments in space.That same year, in response to the first call for Canadian astronauts, the Canadian Astronaut Program received more than 4,000 applications. After a rigorous evaluation period, Roberta Bondar, Marc Garneau, Steve MacLean, Ken Money, Bob Thirsk, and Bjarni Tryggvason were selected based on their exceptional academic backgrounds, professional experience, health, and communication skills.
In 1989, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) was established as an independent government agency to deal with all Canadian matters relating to space, including space exploration, remote sensing, and satellite communication. The Canadian Astronaut Program was included in this amalgamation.
In 1992, when the Canadian Space Agency announced that it would recruit four more individuals to undergo astronaut training, 5,000 interested Canadians applied. After a six-month selection process, Chris Hadfield, Mike McKay, Julie Payette, and Dave (Dafydd) Williams were selected.
In the summer of 1992, Roberta Bondar and Ken Money both left the program to return to their research activities. Mike McKay resigned in early 1995, and Dave Williams retired from the Astronaut Corps on March 31, 2008. Marc Garneau was appointed Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Space Agency on February 1, 2001, and became President on November 22 of the same year. He left the Agency on November 28, 2005. On September 1, 2008, Steve MacLean was appointed President of the Canadian Space Agency, a position he holds to this day.
In March 2008, the Canadian Space Agency launched a new recruitment campaign entitled Do You Have What it Takes? Once again, a large number of Canadians responded. Over 5,300 applications were received. In May 2009, following a lengthy selection process that took about a year, Jeremy Hansen and David Saint-Jacques were the two candidates chosen.
Robert Thirsk announced his retirement in October 2010, leaving only two CSA astronauts qualified for space flight along with the two candidates recruited in 2009 for the Astronaut Corps now in training.
Astronaut Candidates
The term astronaut candidate refers to individuals who have been selected by CSA as candidates for the Canadian Astronaut Corps. Two candidates who were selected in June 2009 are currently undergoing a candidacy training program at the Johnson Space Center. Following completion of an initial two-year training program, the candidates will be promoted to Astronaut.- Jeremy HansenJeremy HansenJeremy Roger Hansen, CD is a Canadian astronaut with the Canadian Space Agency . He was selected to join the CSA in the 2009 CSA selection along with David Saint-Jacques...
, David Saint-JacquesDavid Saint-JacquesDavid Saint-Jacques is a Canadian astronaut with the Canadian Space Agency . He was selected to join the CSA in the 2009 CSA selection along with Jeremy Hansen....
Former members
Roberta BondarRoberta Bondar
Roberta Bondar,is OC, O.Ont, FRCP, FRSC is Canada's first female astronaut and the first neurologist in space. Following more than a decade as NASA's head of space medicine, Bondar became a consultant and speaker in the business, scientific and medical communities.-Education:Roberta Bondar had...
, Marc Garneau
Marc Garneau
Joseph Jean-Pierre Marc Garneau, CC CD FCASI MP is a Canadian retired military officer, former astronaut, engineer and politician.Garneau was the first Canadian in space taking part in three flights aboard NASA Space shuttles...
, Steve MacLean
Steven MacLean (astronaut)
Steven Glenwood MacLean is a Canadian astronaut. He is the current President of the Canadian Space Agency, appointed on September 1, 2008....
, Michael McKay, Kenneth Money
Kenneth Money
Kenneth Money is the Senior Scientist at the Defence and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine in Toronto. He has published over one hundred science articles and authored six different topics in the World Book Encyclopedia.-Education:Money attended North Toronto Collegiate Institute for high...
, Robert Thirsk
Robert Thirsk
Robert Brent "Bob" Thirsk is a Canadian engineer and physician, and a former Canadian Space Agency astronaut. He holds the Canadian records for the longest space flight and the most time spent in space .-Personal life:Thirsk is from New Westminster, British Columbia and is married to Brenda...
, Bjarni Tryggvason, Dave Williams
Dafydd Williams
Dafydd Rhys "Dave" Williams is a Canadian physician and a retired CSA astronaut. He had two spaceflights, both of which were Space Shuttle missions. His first spaceflight, STS-90 in 1998, was a 16-day mission aboard Space Shuttle Columbia dedicated to neuroscience research...
Selection groups
- 1983 NRC Group - Roberta BondarRoberta BondarRoberta Bondar,is OC, O.Ont, FRCP, FRSC is Canada's first female astronaut and the first neurologist in space. Following more than a decade as NASA's head of space medicine, Bondar became a consultant and speaker in the business, scientific and medical communities.-Education:Roberta Bondar had...
, Marc GarneauMarc GarneauJoseph Jean-Pierre Marc Garneau, CC CD FCASI MP is a Canadian retired military officer, former astronaut, engineer and politician.Garneau was the first Canadian in space taking part in three flights aboard NASA Space shuttles...
, Steve MacLeanSteven MacLean (astronaut)Steven Glenwood MacLean is a Canadian astronaut. He is the current President of the Canadian Space Agency, appointed on September 1, 2008....
, Kenneth MoneyKenneth MoneyKenneth Money is the Senior Scientist at the Defence and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine in Toronto. He has published over one hundred science articles and authored six different topics in the World Book Encyclopedia.-Education:Money attended North Toronto Collegiate Institute for high...
, Robert ThirskRobert ThirskRobert Brent "Bob" Thirsk is a Canadian engineer and physician, and a former Canadian Space Agency astronaut. He holds the Canadian records for the longest space flight and the most time spent in space .-Personal life:Thirsk is from New Westminster, British Columbia and is married to Brenda...
, and Bjarni Tryggvason (all transferred to CSA in 1989) - 1992 CSA Group - Dave WilliamsDafydd WilliamsDafydd Rhys "Dave" Williams is a Canadian physician and a retired CSA astronaut. He had two spaceflights, both of which were Space Shuttle missions. His first spaceflight, STS-90 in 1998, was a 16-day mission aboard Space Shuttle Columbia dedicated to neuroscience research...
, Julie PayetteJulie PayetteJulie Payette, OC, CQ is a Canadian engineer and a Canadian Space Agency astronaut. Payette has completed two spaceflights, STS-96 and STS-127, logging more than 25 days in space...
, Chris HadfieldChris HadfieldChris Austin "Chris" Hadfield, O.Ont, MSC, CD is a Canadian astronaut from the Canadian Space Agency who was the first Canadian to walk in space. Hadfield has flown two space shuttle missions, STS-74 in 1995 and STS-100 in 2001. He has served as CAPCOM for both Space Shuttle and International...
and Michael McKay - 2009 CSA Group - Jeremy HansenJeremy HansenJeremy Roger Hansen, CD is a Canadian astronaut with the Canadian Space Agency . He was selected to join the CSA in the 2009 CSA selection along with David Saint-Jacques...
and David Saint-JacquesDavid Saint-JacquesDavid Saint-Jacques is a Canadian astronaut with the Canadian Space Agency . He was selected to join the CSA in the 2009 CSA selection along with Jeremy Hansen....
See also
- NASA Astronaut CorpsNASA Astronaut CorpsThe NASA Astronaut Corps is a unit of the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration that selects, trains, and provides astronauts as crew members for U.S. and international space missions.-History:...
- European Astronaut CorpsEuropean Astronaut CorpsThe European Astronaut Corps is a unit of the European Space Agency that selects, trains, and provides astronauts as crew members on U.S. and Russian space missions. As of May 2010, 21 ESA astronauts have flown in space, including one female. There are currently 14 active members of the Corps. The...
- List of astronauts by selection
- Human spaceflightHuman spaceflightHuman spaceflight is spaceflight with humans on the spacecraft. When a spacecraft is manned, it can be piloted directly, as opposed to machine or robotic space probes and remotely-controlled satellites....
- History of spaceflightHistory of spaceflightSpaceflight, became a reality in the 20th Century following theoretical and practical breakthroughs by Konstantin Tsiolkovsky and Robert H. Goddard.-Background:...