Chris Hadfield is one of the most remarkable Canadians of all time. The astronaut was the first person from the North American country to live aboard the International Space Station. Along with his stunning achievements throughout his long career, the 58-year-old from Sarnia, Ontario has helped encourage and inspire the younger generation to get passionate about space exploration.
Chris Hadfield’s remarkable journey and passion for space exploration have inspired countless young minds. To learn more about his impact and the work of organizations you may visit spacefoundation.org in fostering interest in space exploration.
Born in 1959, Hadfield was a young boy when the United States sent Apollo 11 to the moon in 1969. From his farm in southern Ontario, Hadfield watched with the rest of the world as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made history by being the first people ever to step foot on the moon. This momentous occasion resonated with the nine-year-old, who quickly developed a keen interest in space travel. This led him to seek experience in piloting first and he earned his powered pilot scholarship at the age of 16. Hadfield joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1978 and attended the US Air Force Test Pilot School in the 1980s. All of this proved vital in preparing him for his later years with NASA.
Hadfield went on to be accepted into the Canadian astronaut program by the Canadian Space Agency in 1992. He embarked on numerous expeditions into space, including Expedition 34 on the ISS in 2012, and Expedition 35 in 2013 on which he was made commander. It was on this mission that the Canadian astronaut gained popularity with the people on Earth by making videos about his life in space and posting them on various social media channels.
It was perhaps due to the fact that Hadfield got into the idea of space travel at a young age that influenced him to try to inspire today‘s youth to do the same. The 58-year-old is now considered to be one of Canada’s most important people, thanks to the way he has helped to make the idea of space travel a cool and interesting concept for millennials. He has helped to merge the scientific and media worlds, and gained thousands of hits from his unique and awe-inspiring zero-gravity videos. Some of the most famous clips he has filmed include brushing his teeth in space and performing a cover of David Bowie’s Space Oddity. But Hadfield’s main work should earn him the most respect. The Canadian has run dozens of experiments on the impact of low gravity on human biology and has massively helped our understanding of this phenomenon.
Hadfield announced his retirement after Expedition 35, marking the end of a glittering 35-year career as a military pilot and astronaut. He is still heavily involved with the subject of space travel, though, and continues to help influence youngsters through his social media accounts. Hadfield also makes appearances on television chat shows and hosted the 2017 BBC TV show Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes? The Canadian icon has made space travel cool and the fact that the young people of today are interested in the field means good things for the future.
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