Chris Austin Hadfield
Who is Chris Hadfield?
Retired Canadian astronaut, engineer, singer, and fighter pilot Chris Austin Hadfield, born August 29 1959, is the first Canadian to perform extravehicular activity in space. C.H. commanded the International Space Station (ISS) and flew two Space Shuttle missions.
For what is he known for?
Among his accomplishments, he was the first Canadian to command the International Space Station, operate the Canadarm in orbit, do a spacewalk, and command a space mission.
Biography
Ancestry
He is a Canadian of English and Scottish descent.
Early life
Sarnia, Ontario, was the birthplace of Chris Austin Hadfield. Milton, in southern Ontario, is where he grew up on a corn farm.
Family
Chris Hadfield's family is composed of his father Roger Hadfield, his mother Eleanor Hadfield, his brother Dave Hadfield, his wife Helene Hadfield, and his kids Evan Hadfield, Kristin Hadfield, and Kyle Hadfield.
Study and career
In 1977, Hadfield graduated as an Ontario Scholar from Milton District High School after attending White Oaks Secondary School in Oakville, Ontario until his senior year. He earned glider pilot and powered pilot scholarships through the Royal Canadian Air Cadets when he was 15/16 respectively. He then, in 1980, spent two years at Royal Roads Military College and two years at the Royal Military College, where he earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 1982. Additionally, he completed his postgraduate studies at the University of Waterloo in 1982. He had also completed basic flight training at CFB Portage la Prairie prior to graduation. Upon graduation from Basic Jet Training at CFB Moose Jaw in 1983, he proceeded onto train as a tactical fighter pilot at CFB Cold Lake. He was the first pilot to intercept a Soviet Tupolev Tu 95 long-range bomber in the Canadian Arctic. He attended the US Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base and served with the US Navy at the Strike Test Directorate at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station during the late 1980s. Hadfield graduated from the University of Tennessee Space Institute in May 1992 with a master's degree in aviation systems, in which his thesis focused on the high-angle attack aerodynamics of the F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet.
Most famous quotes
“Almost everything worthwhile carries with it some sort of risk...”
“Spaceflight isn't just about doing experiments, it's about an extension of human culture.”
“"What's the next thing that's going to kill me?" is a mantra for pilots and astronauts.”
“Early success is a terrible teacher. You're essentially being rewarded for a lack of preparation, so when you find yourself in a situation where you must prepare, you can't do it. You don't know how.”
“Ultimately, leadership is not about glorious crowning acts. It's about keeping your team focused on a goal and motivated to do their best to achieve it, especially when the stakes are high and the consequences really matter. It is about laying the groundwork for others' success, and then standing back and letting them shine.”
“Decide in your heart of hearts what really excites and challenges you, and start moving your life in that direction. Every decision you make, from what you eat to what you do with your time tonight, turns you into who you are tomorrow, and the day after that. Look at who you want to be, and start sculpting yourself into that person. You may not get exactly where you thought you'd be, but you will be doing things that suit you in a profession you believe in. Don't let life randomly kick you into the adult you don't want to become.”
“It's good to have a fear of heights. I mean, it's kind of crazy not to because if you just lean out a little bit and there's a gust of wind or somebody bumps you or something and you fall, you're splat.”
“When I stand on the edge of a cliff or right at the edge of a building or something, it's one of the few things that gives me kind of a deep, overwhelming, irrational fear where it affects my physiology.”
“Don`t let life randomly kick you into the adult you don`t want to become”
“I'm not a wealthy person and I don't think that I would be able to prioritize that much money to go for a ride to a place that I have already lived. But if the price comes down or I win a lottery or something, why not?”
“Our role is to develop techniques that allow us to provide emergency life-saving procedures to injured patients in an extreme, remote environment without the presence of a physician.”
Achievements
Importance
His significance for Canada is immense since he was the first Canadian to walk in space.
Space flights
In November 1995, Hadfield was STS-74's (NASA's second shuttle mission to rendezvous and dock with the Russian Space Station Mir) Mission Specialist 1. In addition to being Canada's first astronaut to orbit in Canadarm, Hadfield is the only Canadian to have boarded the Mir space station.
During STS-100, International Space Station assembly Flight 6A, Hadfield held the position of mission specialist 1, delivering and installing Canadarm2, a new robotic arm made in Canada, and the Italian resupply module Raffaello. Hadfield performed two spacewalks during the 11-day flight, making him the first Canadian to float freely in space after leaving a spacecraft.
On December 19, 2012, Hadfield launched into space on the Soyuz TMA-07M flight on December 19, 2012, as part of Expedition 35 of the International Space Station. It was the first time any Canadian had taken command of the station. During his stay on the station, he received significant media exposure (as his videos about the life in general of astronauts in space, such as the food eaten in space, how do astronauts sleep...), and he ended his time on the station with a rendition of David Bowie's "Space Oddity". The Soyuz spacecraft returned him home on May 12, 2013.
Awards
He was awarded the Order of Ontario in 1996, the Vanier Award in 2001, the Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 2002, the Shorty Award for Science in 2009, the Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012, and the Order of Canada in 2014.
Author: William Homier
Editor: William Homier
Video credit goes to Rare Earth.
This page was last edited on 11 April 2022, at 19:45 (HAE).
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