Its not every day an astronaut lands in New Brunswick’s provincial capital.
Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk presented and answered questions from Grade 6 students at Nashwaaksis Middle School in Fredericton Wednesday ahead of his first-ever mission to space tentatively scheduled for some time in 2025.
“The kids were super pumped,” says Jessica Currie, a Grade 6 science teacher at Nashwaaksis who helped facilitate the visit. “Even this morning (they were saying), y’know, ‘Is the astronaut coming, is the astronaut coming?’ It’s like meeting a celebrity and really it is.”
“We were pretty excited to see him,” admitted student Ben Young, who also got the chance to ask Kutryk a question. “I asked him what he is going to miss the most while he is in space.”
For fellow student Zach Bangay, he was excited to hear about how everything works when it comes to space travel.
“My favourite part was when he explained like how they are going to dock on it,” Bangay says.
Kutryk will be heading to the International Space Station (ISS) for a long-duration mission lasting six months, and is only the fourth Canadian to have ever done so. He will be heading into orbit as part of the Starliner-1 mission, marking the first time someone from the country will be flying under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
“I have dreamt of space my entire life,” admits the Alberta native. “To have it on the horizon is very exciting on a personal level. It’s still hard to believe and I don’t think I will believe it until it happens.”
Since first being recruited by the Canadian Space Agency in July 2017, Kutryk has been training for a space mission, with a focus on his upcoming mission over last year and the year ahead. He says there is a great deal of pride in being selected for such a mission.
“I’m super proud of the history we have in space in Canada,” says Kutryk. “It’s really good for Canada, I’m excited to go, and I am proud to do it with a Canadian flag on my shoulder.”
As for the presentation to the students in Fredericton, the astronaut says it was one of the best groups he has ever spoken with.
He credits the students for their insightful questions, and how attentive they were throughout his presentation. If there is anything the students take away from his visit, Kutryk hopes it is to find their passion in life, just as he did around this age.
“I had this thing that motivated me like nothing else,” says Kutryk. “And I could use that to guide my decisions, guide my life, to follow through on my whole time as a student and a professional.”
“It’s awesome that he’s able to peak their interest,” says Currie. “And perhaps inspire that next generation of space explorers.”
To cap off one of his favourite classroom visits, the students presented Kutryk with a gift and handmade birthday card ahead of his 42nd birthday on March 21.
“That was a nice surprise,” Kutryk admits. “I didn’t know it was coming.”
