Quebec engineer and doctor David Saint-Jacques says he’s not entirely sure why he was chosen to become the next Canadian to work aboard the International Space Station – but he’ll gladly accept the mission.
Advertisement
Saint-Jacques will take part in a six month mission at the space station.
Saint-Jacques will have to go through another two years of training before his upcoming mission.
Born in Quebec City, Saint-Jacques is a married father of two children with a taste for adventure as an avid mountain climber, cyclist and skier.
“Today, I stand on the shoulders of all the astronauts who came before me”. Starting in August our next Canadian astronaut, David Saint-Jacques, will begin training for his mission.
He holds a commercial pilot licence with multi-engine and instrument ratings and an advanced scuba-diving licence. “They inspired me – they were my role models”, Saint-Jacques said Monday. They sparked my curiosity about space and made me want to experience spaceflight for myself.
Canada’s space exploration and observation activities directly contribute to our nation’s ability to innovate, communicate, maintain our sovereignty and security, and push the boundaries of human knowledge and capability.
To the extent that their training and travel schedules have permitted, both Saint-Jacques and Hansen have been very active in classrooms and communities across the country, presenting their unique viewpoints and perspectives on the importance of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education, as well as continued scientific and health-related research.
Last year, the federal government announced that two Canadian astronauts would be going to the space station in the next decade – one by 2019 and one by 2024 – but didn’t specify who would be next.
Advertisement
He’s been living in Houston, Texas, since being selected as one of 14 members of the 20th NASA astronaut class and has since been assigned to the space agency’s robotics branch. Saint-Jacques is fluent in English and French and can also converse in Russian, Spanish and Japanese.
