Canadian Space Agency Astronauts
To date, 9 Canadian astronauts from the Canadian Space Agency have been to space.
The first Canadian astronaut in space was Mark Garneau on October 6, 1990 during the STS-41 mission lasting four days. The first female Canadian astronaut in space was Roberta Bonda on January 22, 1992 during the STS-42 mission lasting 8 days.
The most recent Canadian to have visited space is David Saint-Jacques, who spent roughly 5 months on the International Space Station in 2018-2019.
List of Canadian astronauts & missions in space:
| Canadian Space Agency Astronaut | Mission Date | Mission Name | Launch Vehicle | Mission Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marc Garneau | October 6 to 10, 1990 | STS-41 | Space Shuttle Discovery | Marc Garneau’s first flight involved deploying the Ulysses spacecraft and conducting various scientific experiments. |
| Roberta Bondar | January 22 to 30, 1992 | STS-42 | Space Shuttle Discovery | Roberta Bondar’s mission focused on conducting life science experiments in the Spacelab module. |
| Steve MacLean | October 22 to November 1, 1992 | STS-52 | Space Shuttle Columbia | Steve MacLean was part of a mission that deployed the LAGEOS II satellite and conducted various scientific studies. |
| Chris Hadfield | November 12 to 20, 1995 | STS-74 | Space Shuttle Atlantis | Chris Hadfield’s mission involved the first shuttle docking with the Russian Space Station Mir for joint operations. |
| Marc Garneau | May 19 to 29, 1996 | STS-77 | Space Shuttle Endeavour | Marc Garneau participated in a mission focused on various scientific experiments in the Spacelab module. |
| Robert Thirsk | June 20 to July 7, 1996 | STS-78 | Space Shuttle Columbia | Robert Thirsk’s mission studied life and microgravity sciences in Spacelab, focusing on biomedical research. |
| Bjarni Tryggvason | August 7 to 19, 1997 | STS-85 | Space Shuttle Discovery | Bjarni Tryggvason participated in experiments on microgravity and materials science in the Spacelab module. |
| Dave Williams | April 17 to May 3, 1998 | STS-90 | Space Shuttle Columbia | Dave Williams conducted life sciences experiments focusing on the nervous system and cardiovascular physiology. |
| Julie Payette | May 27 to June 6, 1999 | STS-96 | Space Shuttle Discovery | Julie Payette’s mission involved the first shuttle docking with the International Space Station (ISS) for assembly. |
| Marc Garneau | November 30 to December 11, 2000 | STS-97 | Space Shuttle Endeavour | Marc Garneau’s mission included the installation of solar arrays on the ISS and various scientific experiments. |
| Chris Hadfield | April 19 to May 1, 2001 | STS-100 | Space Shuttle Endeavour | Chris Hadfield conducted spacewalks and installed the Canadarm2 on the ISS, aiding in assembly and maintenance. |
| Steve MacLean | September 9 to 21, 2006 | STS-115 | Space Shuttle Atlantis | Steve MacLean’s mission focused on assembly tasks, installing the P3/P4 truss segments and solar arrays on the ISS. |
| Dave Williams | August 8 to 21, 2007 | STS-118 | Space Shuttle Endeavour | Dave Williams performed spacewalks and conducted educational activities, delivering cargo to the ISS. |
| Julie Payette | July 15 to 31, 2009 | STS-127 | Space Shuttle Endeavour | Julie Payette participated in the delivery and installation of the Japanese Kibo module on the ISS. |
| Robert Thirsk | May 27 to December 1, 2009 | Expedition 20/21 | Soyuz Spacecraft | Robert Thirsk’s long-duration mission on the ISS included scientific experiments and station maintenance. |
| Chris Hadfield | December 19, 2012 to May 13, 2013 | Expedition 34/35 | Soyuz Spacecraft | Chris Hadfield’s mission involved scientific research, educational outreach, and operations aboard the ISS. |
| David Saint-Jacques | December 3, 2018 to June 24, 2019 | Expedition 58/59 | Soyuz Spacecraft | David Saint-Jacques conducted scientific experiments and contributed to the operation and maintenance of the ISS. |
The next Canadian Space Agency Astronauts that are scheduled to go to space are Jeremy Hansen, Jenni Gibbons, and Joshua Kutryk.
Jeremy Hansen will become the first Canadian astronaut, and non-American astronaut to orbit the moon. His mission, Artemis II, will launch no sooner than 2024.
Jenni Gibbons will serve as Jeremy’s backup for Artemis II. Should Hansen be unable to fly, Gibbons will take his place. In addition to backup duties, Gibbons will serve as Canada’s first lunar CAPCOM, acting as a liaison between ground control and astronauts.
Joshua Kutryk is assigned to the Starliner-1 flight, which will make Kutryk the first CSA astronaut to fly on NASA’s Commercial Crew program. He will fly aboard the ULA Atlas V rocket and Boeing CST-100 Starliner craft. Kutryk’s mission aboard the ISS will launch in 2025, where he will spend roughly 6 months aboard the ISS.
| Canadian Space Agency Astronaut | Mission Date | Mission Name | Launch Vehicle | Mission Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremy Hansen | November 2024 | Artemis II | SLS Rocket – Orion MPCV | Jeremy Hansen will serve as a Mission Specialist on the Artemis II mission. The mission will involve orbiting the Moon, which will make Hansen the most well-travelled Canadian in history. This mission will make Canada the second country in the world to have a human orbit the Moon. |
| Jenni Sidey-Gibbons | November 2024 | Artemis II | SLS Rocket – Orion MPCV/td> | Jenni Sidey-Gibbons will serve as the backup to Jeremy Hansen for the Artemis II mission. If Hansen is unavailable, Sidey-Gibbons will replace him as the Mission Specialist. Sidey-Gibbons would also share the title of first woman to orbit the Moon with NASA Astronaut Chistina Koch, who is serving as a Mission Specialist on Artemis II . |
| Joshua Kutryk | 2025 for roughly 6 months | Starliner-1 | United Launch Alliance Atlas V – Boeing CST-100 Starliner | Joshua Kutryk will conduct science experiments aboard the International Space Station during his 6-month stay in space. This mission will make Kutryk the first CSA astronaut to join NASA’s Commercial Crew program. |