There’s a test pilot with the Department of National Defence, an astronomical optics scientist, a family physician and an engineer working at the German Aerospace Centre.
Those are just a few of the highly-educated and skilled finalists who remain in the running to become Canada’s next astronauts.
In a presentation live-streamed on Facebook on Monday, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) revealed the names of the top 17 candidates. The impressive group of 12 men and five women includes pilots, engineers, doctors, scientists, and academics from all over the country.
CSA astronaut Jeremy Hanson and Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains were on hand to introduce the potential astronauts to the public. Hanson said the CSA received 3,772 applications submitted last summer.
“We’re searching for people that I would climb into a rocket with and fly to space,” Hanson said. “Who have to be able to fix the toilet one day, be a plumber in space, to conducting world-class science to carrying out a risky spacewalk.”
The remaining finalists have already undergone various rounds of rigorous testing, including emergency simulations and robotics training, to see how well they perform under pressure and how they operate in a team, Hanson said.
“We really want to know what they’re made of,” he explained. “We put them in scenarios where they’re fighting fires, battling a sinking ship, escaping out of a capsule that’s landed in high seas.”
Bains praised the finalists and pointed out the importance of nurturing Canada’s space program.
“The young Canadians whose imaginations are fired up today, could be the innovators of tomorrow,” he said before offering some advice to the candidates. “Good luck and kick some butt.”
According to the CSA’s website, the top two applicants will be announced this summer, in time to begin training in August.
Here are the 17 finalists:
Matthew Bamsey:
Current job: Chief systems engineer, EDEN ISS Project, German Aerospace Centre
Education: Bachelor’s in aerospace engineering; Master’s in bioastronautics and Ph.D. in environmental biology.
Current home: Bremen, Germany
Why he wants to become an astronaut: Exploration. “Humans need to explore. We need to be doing something outside of our "day to day" to push boundaries, to come up with new ideas, to understand what is possible,” Bamsey’s profile on the CSA website states.
Alex DeLorey:
Current job: Project Manager for the Components and Feeder Design, Bruce Major Component Replacement Project
Education: Bachelor’s in mechanical engineering
Current home: Milton, Ont.
Why he wants to become an astronaut: “This is an exciting position on an important team that allows us to push the boundaries of our knowledge and capabilities further while inspiring others to do the same,” DeLorey said.
Francis James Frenzel:
Current job: Pilot-in-training for the Royal Canadian Air Force
Education: Bachelor’s in physics and English language and literature; Master’s in aerospace engineering
Current home: Petersburg, Ont.
Why he wants to become an astronaut: “I love this country and take pride in serving the nation; what better way to do so than by inspiring the next generation of dreamers?” Frenzel said.
Vanessa Fulford:
Current job: Flight test engineer for the Royal Canadian Air Force
Education: Bachelor’s in space science; Master’s in flight test and evaluation
Current home: Cold Lake, Alta.
Why she wants to become an astronaut: “I want to be a role model for future generations. I take pride in motivating and exciting people about the possibilities of the future and the amazing things that they can experience,” she said.
Michael Anthony Jordan:
Current job: Lead Department of Defence test pilot
Education: Bachelor’s in computer software; post-graduate certificate in flight dynamics; qualified test pilot certification
Current home: Jupiter, Fla.
Why he wants to become an astronaut: “The human species seems to be at the cusp of embarking on an evolutionary step that will define our continued existence. It would be an honour to be a part of that step and to share the journey with the world,” he said.
Erik Kroeker:
Current job: Staff scientist and university lecturer
Education: Bachelor’s in mechanical and aerospace engineering; Master’s in aerospace engineering; Ph.D. in aerospace engineering
Current home: Urbana, Ill.
Why he wants to become an astronaut: “The biggest reason I want to become an astronaut is to be able to share the incredible space science being done with a large audience,” Kroeker said.
Joshua Kutryk:
Current job: Officer commanding for Fighter Operational Test and Evaluation Flight
Education: Bachelor’s in mechanical engineering; Master’s in aeronautical science (space studies); Master's in flight test engineering and Master’s in defence studies
Current home: Cold Lake, Alta.
Why he wants to become an astronaut: “I have always wanted to leave the world a better place than I found it, and I believe that space is one area where I can do so,” Kutryk said.
Charles-Philippe Lajoie:
Current job: Astronomical optics scientist
Education: Ph.D. in physics and astronomy
Current home: Baltimore, Md.
Why he wants to become an astronaut: “As a kid growing up with images of the Hubble Space Telescope and the Apollo missions, becoming an astronaut has always been a dream, albeit one I knew is hard to reach. I also love pushing my limits and seeking new challenges and adventures,” he said.
Jason Leuschen:
Current job: Student pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force
Education: Bachelor’s in mechanical engineering
Current home: Ottawa, Ont.
Why he wants to become an astronaut: “I fell in love with the sky growing up on a farm in The Land of The Living Skies (Saskatchewan, of course),” he said. “I have wanted to be an astronaut, to get a little closer to the heavens, ever since.”
Robert Riddell:
Current job: Medical officer in the Canadian Armed Forces
Education: Bachelor’s in chemical and materials engineering; Bachelor’s in biochemistry; Doctorate in medicine; Rural family medicine residency
Current home: Ottawa, Ont.
Why he wants to become an astronaut: “Unlike any job on Earth, being an astronaut would allow me to draw on the knowledge that I have gained from my formal education and the unique experiences I have had as a military officer and rural physician,” Riddell said.
Jennifer Anne MacKinnon Sidey:
Current job: Lecturer in the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge
Education: Bachelor’s in mechanical engineering; Ph.D. in engineering
Current home: Cambridge, U.K.
Why she wants to become an astronaut: “I want to become an astronaut because it provides an incredible challenge. It aligns with my interests in the advancement and application of science for the benefit of society,” she said.
Adam Sirek:
Current job: Family physician and Captain in the Royal Canadian Air Force
Education: Bachelor’s in science; Master’s in science; Diploma in higher education; Doctorate in medicine
Current home: Tecumseh, Ont.
Why he wants to become an astronaut: “I have always loved both aviation and medicine,” Sirek said. “Science and experiments performed on orbit has led to improvements for all of humanity, and this has been a driving factor in all of my aerospace medicine training.”
Nathalie Sleno:
Current job: Medical officer and team lead for 1 Field Ambulance Detachment in Yellowknife
Education: Bachelor’s in science; Doctorate in medicine; Family medicine residency
Current home: Yellowknife, N.W.T.
Why she wants to become an astronaut: “It would be the greatest achievement—and the ultimate experience—to participate in the forefront of science! To be so closely involved in the greatest frontier, as we continue to push limits and pursue knowledge, would be a dream come true,” she said.
Evan Alexander Beirne Thomas:
Current job: Associate professor at Portland State University
Education: Bachelor’s in broadcast journalism; Bachelor’s in aerospace engineering; Master’s in public health; Master’s in aerospace engineering sciences; Ph.D. in aerospace engineering sciences
Current home: Portland, Ore.
Why he wants to become an astronaut: “I want to be an astronaut because the International Space Station is both a research and development platform and a global pulpit for tangible, impactful collaborations that can simultaneously further space exploration while addressing chronic challenges on Earth,” he said.
Andréane Vidal:
Current job: Officer responsible for research and development of future capabilities in the Canadian Armed Forces
Education: Bachelor’s in chemical engineering
Current home: Belleville, Ont.
Why she wants to become an astronaut: “I would like to use the two types of knowledge and skills I acquired during my professional career for the benefit of humanity, and becoming an astronaut for the Canadian Space Agency is an ideal opportunity to do just that,” Vidal said.
Michelle Whitty:
Current job: Captain in the Canadian Armed Forces and qualified combat engineering officer
Education: Bachelor’s in civil engineering; Master’s in civil engineering; Doctorate in medicine; Family medicine residency
Current home: Calgary, Alta.
Why she wants to become an astronaut: “The thought of a lifetime of learning, travelling and adventure makes me excited. I am thrilled at the opportunity to be able to merge the fields of medicine, engineering and space exploration and push the limits of human knowledge,” she said.
Jesse Zroback:
Current job: Family physician in the remote community of Marathon, Ont. and assistant professor at the NOSM
Education: Bachelor’s in chemical engineering; Doctorate in medicine; Family medicine residency
Current home: Marathon, Ont.
Why he wants to become an astronaut: “Discovery through exploration and adventure is a passion of mine. It would be extremely rewarding to push myself to my highest potential through the skills development and variety of rigorous challenges of astronaut training,” he said.
