Seventeen candidates will go through the final rounds of assessments in the Canadian Space Agency’s (CSA) Astronaut Recruitment Campaign. By the summer, the CSA will select two qualified astronauts among this pool of finalists.

"Space has the power to inspire. And I can think of no better sources of inspiration for young Canadians than the enormously gifted men and women who make up the cohort of astronaut candidates that our country has to draw from. Every one of them is a high achiever in their own right. The 17 finalists in this competition come from all walks of life. They are doctors, engineers, pilots and scientists. They have the power to fire up the imaginations of our young people and influence the next generation of space scientists and innovators."

The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development

• Canada’s fourth astronaut recruitment campaign was launched in June 2016. The search for the next generation of space explorers attracted more than 3,772 applicants from a wide variety of science, technology, engineering and mathematics backgrounds.

• Budget 2016 committed $379 million to extend until 2024 Canada’s participation in the International Space Station. The purpose of this mission is to conduct research that positions the Canadian space sector for emerging scientific and innovation opportunities.

• The evaluation tools used to assess the astronaut candidates were developed by CSA in collaboration with former and current astronauts as well as the Department of National Defence.

Associated Links

• Information kit on the recruitment campaign
• Videos
• Images
• B-Roll

Contact information:
Canadian Space Agency
Media Relations Office
Telephone: 450-926-4370
Email: ASC.Medias-Media.CSA@canada.ca
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