Hadfield..Canada's Great Astronaut.

The space station is a place where dreams become reality and although few are able to experience the thrill of actually going there we have a man in Canada who will command the space station for six months.



Astronaut Hadfield was a visitor to Ikaluktutiak ( Cambridge Bay, Nunavut) while I was the SAO. His mission to bring a presence to the Inuit children and area became a discovery of food which I understand is standard on the space station. I hosted this amazing man for a couple of days and was impressed with his capacity to communicate with the people of Nunavut. In making his stay comfortable and interesting while up there we went on a ride in the tundra on ATVs and he saw muskoxen and caribou up close. He was a smaller man by some standards but super fit for missions in space.



Requirements are so rigid that years of training are required before going into space. His physical build and level of fitness impressed the Inuit when he told of the programs for his preparations. He was in space two times and helped to install the Canada Arm. While in our hamlet he visited the meat plant where caribou and muskox Mipku (dried meat) is prepared. Mr. Hadfield took a quantity with him for analysis and it was found to be very nourishing and suitable for space food.



Personally I enjoyed the visit and helped give out souvenirs to the people we talked to. I could not have enough time to ask my numerous questions but felt privileged to walk and associate with this interesting man. When taking pictures we assured him we would send pictures as there was no official photographer with him on this part of the visit. He gave me official badges and keepsakes which I in turn gave to my Grandson as he is very interested in flying and space.



When I drove him to the airport one of the last questions I asked him was if he would be going back in space. He said a childhood dream he had was to be captain of a spaceship. His dream came true as he will be commander of the Space Station in 2012. Canada's Greatest Astronaut.