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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).

History

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.

Organization

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.

Qualifications

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.

Members

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 to fly in space
Marc Garneau	STS-41-G, STS-77, STS-97	1983	First Canadian to fly in space
Chris Hadfield	STS-74, STS-100, Soyuz TMA-07M (Expedition 34/35)	1992	Only Canadian to fly to the Russian 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 live 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]

References

^ "Canadian Astronauts – Canadian Space Agency". Asc-csa.gc.ca. 9 May 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
^ "CSA – Astronauts". Asc-csa.gc.ca. 5 July 2010. Archived from the original on 20 November 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
^ Hall, Joseph (16 April 2011). "The Last Blast". Toronto Star. Toronto.
^ "Canadian Astronauts – Former – Canadian Space Agency". Asc-csa.gc.ca. 28 January 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
^ "National Astronaut Recruitment Campaign – Canadian Space Agency". Asc-csa.gc.ca. 27 October 2008. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
^ "Former Canadian astronauts". 13 February 2013.
^ "Meet Canada's Two New Astronauts". Canadian Space Agency website. 1 July 2017. Retrieved 3 July 2017.