Chris Hadfield is a Canadian astronaut who is also the first Canadian to live aboard the International Space Station. He had set a number of space records for a Canadian astronauts. In 1995 he became the first Canadian ever to board the Russian Mir Space Station during flight STS-74.
He was born on August 29th 1959 in Sarnia, Canada. Hadfield was interested in flying from an early age. He won a glider pilot scholarship at the age of 15 years and a year later received a powered pilot scholarship as an Air Cadet. He joined Canadian Armed Forces in 1978.
Quick Facts: –
- In 1992, Chris Hadfield was selected to become one of the four new Canadian astronauts.
- On STS-74, which was also his first ever space flight he served as the mission specialist.
- During his first trip to the International Space Station in 2001, he installed a robotic arm aboard the station.
- This was a crucial piece of the equipment called Canadarm2. It still remains among the key components of the ISS.
- From 2001 to 2003, he served as NASA’s director of operation in Russia. During this time he got familiar with the Soyuz spacecraft.
- He served as the Commander of NEEMO-14. It is a NASA undersea facility which uses ocean floor as a simulator of the surface of asteroids, Mars and the Moon.
- He had flown more than 70 different kinds of aircrafts which helped him to earn a name for himself.
- During his first spacewalk, some irritant got into his eyes and make them water. In space tears don’t fall so he was temporarily blinded.
