Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk says he feels a mix of excitement and gratitude as he prepares for a six-month mission aboard the International Space Station.
Speaking with Global News Morning Edmonton from training in Houston, Kutryk said the opportunity follows years of preparation after being hired by the Canadian Space Agency in 2017.
“I’ve dreamt of going to space my whole life,” he said, adding he feels “a lot of Canadian pride” in being part of the mission.
Kutryk said the launch is set for September from Florida and will include four crew members travelling to the space station for what is known as a long-duration stay.
He said the team will have two main responsibilities: operating and maintaining the station, and conducting scientific research.
“It’s a very complex machine… maybe the most complicated machine humans have ever made,” he said, noting experiments conducted in orbit often focus on areas such as medicine and health that cannot be replicated on Earth.
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Originally from Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., Kutryk said his journey to space involved “a lot of hard work” as well as support from others, encouraging young people to pursue their passions.
“It’s never too early to find what your passion is,” he said, recalling his own early interest in space and aviation.
Kutryk also reflected on the broader impact of space exploration, saying it can help bring people together and highlight Canada’s role on the world stage.
He is scheduled to launch Sept. 12 from the Kennedy Space Center aboard a Falcon 9 rocket built by SpaceX.
As part of the mission, Kutryk said he plans to bring several personal and symbolic items, including a family heirloom — a stopwatch from the late 1800s passed down through generations after his family immigrated from Ukraine to Alberta.
He said the item serves as a reminder of how far his family, and technology, has come.
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