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The Canadian Astronaut Corps is a unit of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) that selects, trains, and provides astronauts as crew members for U.S. and Russian space missions.[1] The corps has four active members, able to serve on the International Space Station (ISS).
The original six astronauts selected in 1983 were under the auspices of the National Research Council of Canada. They were transferred to the Canadian Space Agency when it was established in 1989.
Since 1984, when Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space, nine CSA astronauts have flown on US NASA Space Shuttles and on Russian Soyuz rockets in 15 missions.[2][3]
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 Decemder 1, 2009, after spending 188 days in space, Robert Thirsk returned to Earth aboard a Soyuz spacecraft. Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, the first Canadian Commander of the ISS, would go on to achieve worldwide fame in 2013 for releasing a music video he recorded on the International Space Station of his version of David Bowie's song "Space Oddity". Astronaut Julie Payette would go on to serve as the Governor General of Canada, and Garneau would become Minister of Foreign Affairs.
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The Astronauts Corps is one of seven main divisions within the CSA. In addition to its Astronaut Corps, one of the most prominent contributions of Canada to space exploration is the robotic arm on the US space shuttles, the Canadarm.
There are four active astronauts in the Corps (Jeremy Hansen, David Saint-Jacques, Joshua Kutryk and Jennifer Sidey-Gibbons) and ten former astronauts, eight of whom have gone into space.[4] Of the nine current and former Canadian astronauts who have gone into space, two are women: Julie Payette and Roberta Bondar.
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The CSA generally recruits astronauts who have degrees as scientists, engineers and/or medical doctors.[5] In addition to being Canadian citizens or residents, candidates must meet certain physical standards (including height, weight, hearing and visual acuity) as well as educational requirements.
Active astronauts
As of October 2024[update], the corps has four active astronauts, three men and one woman. Only one has previously flown to space and two have assignments to future missions.
Missions in italics are scheduled and subject to change.
| Astronaut | Missions | Group | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Jenni Gibbons | None, awaiting assignment | 2017 | Training as backup to Hansen on Artemis II. |
| Jeremy Hansen | Artemis II | 2009 | |
| Joshua Kutryk | Starliner-1 | 2017 | |
| David Saint-Jacques | Soyuz MS-11 (Expedition 57/58/59) | 2009 |
Former astronauts
There are ten former CSA astronauts.[6]
| Astronaut | Missions | Group | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roberta Lynn Bondar | STS-42 | 1983 | First Canadian woman in space |
| Marc Garneau | STS-41-G, STS-77, STS-97 | 1983 | First Canadian in space |
| Chris Hadfield | STS-74, STS-100, Soyuz TMA-07M (Expedition 34/35) | 1992 | Only Canadian to visit to the Mir space station, first Canadian spacewalker, first Canadian commander of the ISS |
| Steve MacLean | STS-52, STS-115 | 1983 | |
| Michael McKay | None | 1992 | |
| Ken Money | None | 1983 | |
| Julie Payette | STS-96, STS-127 | 1992 | First Canadian to visit the ISS |
| Robert Thirsk | STS-78, Soyuz TMA-15 (Expedition 20/21) | 1983 | First Canadian to make a long-duration stay on the ISS |
| Bjarni Tryggvason | STS-85 | 1983 | |
| Dafydd Williams | STS-90, STS-118 | 1992 |
Selection groups
- 1983 NRC Group: Roberta Bondar, Marc Garneau, Steve MacLean, Ken Money, Robert Thirsk and Bjarni Tryggvason (all transferred to CSA in 1989)
- 1992 CSA Group: Dafydd Williams, Julie Payette, Chris Hadfield and Michael McKay
- 2009 CSA Group: Jeremy Hansen and David Saint-Jacques
- 2017 CSA Group: Joshua Kutryk and Jennifer Sidey[7]
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- Other astronaut corps:
- European Astronaut Corps
- NASA Astronaut Corps (United States)
- JAXA Astronaut Corps (Japan)
- Roscosmos Cosmonaut Corps (Russia)
- People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps (China)
- List of astronauts by selection
- Human spaceflight
- History of spaceflight
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