Milestones in Canadian Space Year Date Event 1962 September 29 Alouette 1 is launched making Canada the third Country to launch a satellite into space. 1972 September 30 Alouette 1 is shut down after 10 years of activity, 9 years longer than planned. 1974 NASA agrees to have Canada design and build the Space Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (RMS), later to become known as Canadarm. 1981 November 13 The first flight of the Canadarm on STS-2. The arm is run through a series of tests to verify its ability. 1983 December 5 The first six Canadians to be chosen as astronauts are announced. They are: Marc Garneau, Roberta Bondar, Steve MacLean, Robert (Bob) Thirsk, Bjarni Tryggvason and Ken Money. 1984 October 5-13 Marc Garneau becomes the first Canadian in space aboard the space shuttle Challenger on mission STS-41G. 1986 January 28 The Space Shuttle Challenger explodes killing all 7 astronauts. Canadarm # 2 is lost. 1986 May The Canadian Space Agency Astronaut office is created. 1989 March 1 The Canadian Space Agency is created. 1992 January 22-30 Roberta Bondar becomes the second Canadian, and the first female Canadian to go into space. Dr. Bondar flew as a payload specialist aboard the space shuttle Discovery on mission STS-42 (IML- 1). 1992 June 8 The second class of Canadian astronauts are selected. The four new astronauts are: Chris Hadfield, Julie Payette, Dave Williams and Robert Stewart. Stewart would decline the offer and be replaced by Mike McKay. 1992 July Astronaut Ken Money retires from the Canadian Astronaut Office to return to his position as senior scientist at DCIEM, where he was involved in pilot disorientation research and space science. Although he was the back-up for Roberta Bondar, he never flew in space. 1992 July 3 Astronauts Marc Garneau and Chris Hadfield are selected by CSA to become the first Canadian mission specialist. They move to Houston to live and train. 1992 September 4 Roberta Bondar retires from the Canadian Astronaut Office to return to her research. 1992 October 22 – Steve Maclean becomes the third Canadian in November 1 space aboard the space shuttle Columbia on mission STS-52. One of Steve’s main objectives was to test a new Canadian invention, called the Space Vision System (SVS). 1994 July 8-23 Marc Garneau becomes the first non-American CapCom (Capsule Communicator). 1995 November 12-20 Chris Hadfield becomes the fourth Canadian to go into space when he flies on STS-74. STS-74’s main mission was to deliver a docking node to the Russian space station MIR. This mission makes Chris the first Canadian to fly as a mission specialist, the only Canadian to visit the MIR space station and the first Canadian to operate the Canadarm. 1996 May 19-29 Marc Garneau becomes the first Canadian to fly in space twice, when he flies on STS-77(Endeavour). Marc is the second Canadian to operate the Canadarm. 1996 June 20- July 7 Bob Thirsk becomes the fifth Canadian in space when he flies aboard the space shuttle Columbia on mission STS-78. This mission sets a record for the longest duration for a shuttle flight at 16 days, 21 hours, 47 minutes. 1997 August 7-19 Bjarni Tryggvason is the last of the original six Canadian astronauts to fly in space. He flies aboard the space shuttle Discovery on mission STS-85. This makes Bjarni the sixth Canadian in space. Bjarni’s main task is to test a Canadian invention called the Microgravity Isolation Mount (MIM). 1998 April 17 – May 3 Dave Williams becomes the seventh Canadian in space aboard the space shuttle Columbia on mission STS-90 (Neaurolab). This mission studies the effects of weightlessness on the nervous system. Dave becomes the first non-American to serve as medical officer on the flight. 1998 June Dave Williams is named Director of the Space and Life Sciences Directorate. Dr. Williams is the first non-American to hold this position. 1999 May 27 – June 6 Julie Payette becomes the eighth Canadian in space and the first to visit the International Space Station (ISS). Her mission, aboard the space shuttle Discovery on mission STS-96, is a re- supply mission for the soon to be occupied ISS. 2000 November 30 – Marc Garneau becomes the first Canadian to fly December 11 three times in space aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-97. Marc acts as flight engineer and get the chance to visit the ISS. This is Marc’s final flight. 2001 February 1 Dr. Garneau is appointed Executive Vice President of the Canadian Space Agency. 2001 November 22 Dr. Garneau is appointed President of the Canadian Space Agency. 2002 February 25 Steve MacLean is assigned to fly as a mission specialist on mission STS-115. He will become the first Canadian to operate the Canadarm2, and the second Canadian to perform an extra vehicular activity (EVA) or spacewalk. 2002 June 5 The second part of the Canadian-built MSS, the Mobile Base System, was launched to the ISS aboard the shuttle Endeavour on STS-111. Six days later, the 1,450-kg. work platform was operational after being attached to the station's U.S.-built Mobile Transporter. The transporter and the Mobile Base System will carry Canadarm2 and various experiments, tools, structures and equipment to where they are needed on the station. 2002 December 12 Dr. Dave Williams is assigned as a mission specialist on mission STS-118. The crew will be adding a truss segment and solar panels to the ISS. 2003 February 1 The Space Shuttle Columbia fails to return from mission STS-107. Columbia broke up during re- entry over Texas en route to landing at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The STS-107 crewmembers -- Commander Rick Husband, Pilot Willie McCool, Mission Specialists Michael Anderson, Dave Brown, Laurel Clark and Kalpana Chawla and Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon of Israel -- were returning home after a successful 16-day scientific research mission. 2003 June 30 MOST (Microvariability and Oscillations of STars) became Canada's first scientific satellite in more than 30 years when it was launched atop a Russian launch vehicle. MOST, a suitcase sized telescope will measure a stars oscillations and search for extrasolar planets and information on stars that will help scientists better determine the age of the universe. A tiny nanosatellite called CanX-1 built by University of Toronto students to demonstrate technologies was launched at the same time. 2003 August 12 SCISAT, a Canadian-built satellite designed to probe the changes that take place in the ozone layer and other parts of the Earth's upper atmosphere. Launched by a Pegasus booster dropped from an aircraft offshore from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. 2005 August 9 Mission STS-114, the return of the space shuttle. (Discovery). This first shuttle flight after the Columbia disaster of 2003 featured the first use of a Canadian-built boom extension to the Canadarm that was designed to inspect the shuttle's underside for damage to its insulation tiles. Damage of this type led to the loss of Columbia. 2006 September 9 Mission STS-115. Canadian astronaut Steve Mclean makes his second trip into space. Mission STS-115 continues the construction of the ISS by installing the P3/P4 solar panels. On mission STS- 115 Steve Maclean becomes the second Canadian to perform an EVA and the first Canadian to operate the Canadarm2. 2007 August 4 NASA's launches the Phoenix lander to Mars . On board is a Canadian built weather and climate instrument that will study and changes in the Martian environment. 2007 August 8-21 Mission STS-118. Dr. Dave Williams makes his second trip into space. Mission STS-118 continues the construction of the ISS by adding a third starboard truss segment. During the mission Williams performs 3 EVA’s, a Canadian record. 2007 December 14 After much delay Canada’s Radarsat 2, the next- generation Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite is launched from Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Radarsat 2 will provide enhanced marine surveillance, ice monitoring, disaster management, environmental monitoring, resource management and mapping in Canada and around the world. 2008 March 11 The last section, nicknamed Dextre, of Canada’s contribution to the ISS is delivered to the station. The delivery of Dextre completes Canada’s Mobile Servicing System (MSS) made up of Canadarm 2 and the Mobile Base System (MBS). 2008 March 1 Dr. Dave Williams announced his retirement as an astronaut on February 29, 2008, effective March 1, 2008. 2008 March 31 For only the third time in history, Canada announces that it will recruit new Canadian astronauts. The selection will close in June 2008 2008 June Original Canadian astronaut Bjarni Tryggvason retires from the CSA. 2008 September 1 One of the original six Canadians selected as astronauts, Steve MacLean retires as an active astronaut after two shuttle missions. 2008 September 2 Retired Canadian astronaut Steve MacLean is appointed President of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) 2009 May 13 CSA announces the two newest Canadian astronauts. They are Jeremy Hansen and David Saint-Jacques. Hansen and Saint-Jacques were selected from over 5300 applicants. 2009 May 27 – December 1 Expedition 20 / 21. Canadian astronaut Robert (Bob) Thirsk becomes the first Canadian to launch aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft and the first to live and work on the ISS. His six month (188) day stay in space also sets a record for the longest continuous stay by a Canadian. 2009 July 15-31 Mission STS-127. Julie Payette makes her second trip into space and her second trip to the ISS.