{"id":77555,"date":"2016-06-19T11:50:58","date_gmt":"2016-06-19T15:50:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=77555"},"modified":"2016-06-19T11:57:23","modified_gmt":"2016-06-19T15:57:23","slug":"canadian-space-agency-launches-search-next-generation-space-explorers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2016\/06\/19\/canadian-space-agency-launches-search-next-generation-space-explorers\/","title":{"rendered":"Canadian Space Agency launches search for next generation of space explorers"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Canada<\/a>
Canada is recruiting candidates to fill two potential new spots in its space program \u2013 and the more sterotypically Canadian they are, the better, suggests current astronaut-in-training Jeremy Hansen. (Promotional photo: Canadian Space Agency’s official Facebook page<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

OTTAWA \u2013 Calling all aspiring Canadian astronauts: here comes your chance to shine.<\/p>\n

Canada is recruiting candidates to fill two potential new spots in its space program \u2013 and the more sterotypically Canadian they are, the better, suggests current astronaut-in-training Jeremy Hansen.<\/p>\n

It goes without saying that would-be space cowboys and cowgirls are expected to be super smart, ultra-fit and undaunted by claustrophobic living conditions. But good manners are also likely to be an asset for the longer assignments.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you trap people in a tin can for six months \u2013 or two years going to Mars \u2013 how they treat one another, respecting some of our fundamental Canadian values, it\u2019s really important,\u201d Hansen said Friday as a new $3-million recruitment campaign was launched.<\/p>\n

Not that successful recruits are guaranteed a one-way ticket to the red planet. In fact, there\u2019s no guarantee that new recruits will even get a chance to slip the surly bonds of Earth’s atmosphere.<\/p>\n

Indeed, said Hansen, the program offers the potential for so much more than just space flight.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not going to be asking candidates if they\u2019re prepared to go to Mars,\u201d he said. \u201cBut we\u2019re recruiting explorers, and that\u2019s exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, the federal government does have its sights set beyond the International Space Station (ISS), which is currently orbiting Earth at nearly eight kilometres per second, said Innovation and Science Minister Navdeep Bains.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not simply about the International Space Station, but about deep space exploration,\u201d said Bains.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd we\u2019re working very closely with NASA and our other allies to really look at additional opportunities for our astronauts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Canada has been sending people into space since before the Canadian Space Agency was established in 1989.<\/p>\n

Marc Garneau, now a Liberal member of Parliament, became the first Canadian in space when he took part in a NASA space shuttle mission in 1984.<\/p>\n

Since then, 11 Canadians have flown aboard NASA shuttles and Russian Soyuz rockets in 15 missions.<\/p>\n

Chris Hadfield gained international fame in 2013 not so much for being the station\u2019s first Canadian commander, but for a must-follow Twitter feed and his now-famous recorded-in-space rendition of David Bowie\u2019s classic, \u201cSpace Oddity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Applications for the new positions are being accepted on the Canadian Space Agency website until Aug. 15.<\/p>\n

Candidates must have \u201can academic background in science or technology, excellent health, and a wide range of outstanding qualities and skills,\u201d the agency said.<\/p>\n

Those qualified for the first selection round will take part in a \u201crigorous selection process\u201d lasting almost a year that involves several interviews, written exams and a range of physical and mental fitness tests.<\/p>\n

David Saint-Jacques, who last month became the latest Canadian to enter the NASA space program, said it won\u2019t be easy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey bring you to your knees,\u201d Saint-Jacques told a news conference Friday at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery test is an ultimate challenge of what you can give. And then once you\u2019ve had enough, and you\u2019re exhausted, then the test begins.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hansen said he always wanted to be an astronaut but never expected he\u2019d be picked. But after hearing about the Canadian Space Agency\u2019s last recruitment drive, he applied.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought statistically, realistically there\u2019s no way they\u2019re going to pick me.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

OTTAWA \u2013 Calling all aspiring Canadian astronauts: here comes your chance to shine. Canada is recruiting candidates to fill two …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":77559,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1482,5742,5],"tags":[11308,11307],"class_list":["post-77555","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-breaking","category-science-2","category-technology","tag-canadian-astronauts","tag-canadian-space-agency","mauthors-terry-pedwell","mauthors-the-canadian-press"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77555","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77555"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77555\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/77559"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77555"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=77555"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77555"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}