There鈥檚 a test pilot with the Department of National Defence, an astronomical optics scientist, a family physician and an engineer working at the German Aerospace Centre.
Those are just a few of the highly-educated and skilled finalists who remain in the running to become Canada鈥檚 next astronauts.
In a presentation on Monday, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) revealed the names of the top 17 candidates. The impressive group of 12 men and five women includes pilots, engineers, doctors, scientists, and academics from all over the country.
CSA astronaut Jeremy Hanson and Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains were on hand to introduce the potential astronauts to the public. Hanson said the CSA received 3,772 applications submitted last summer.
鈥淲e鈥檙e searching for people that I would climb into a rocket with and fly to space,鈥� Hanson said. 鈥淲ho have to be able to fix the toilet one day, be a plumber in space, to conducting world-class science to carrying out a risky spacewalk.鈥�
The remaining finalists have already undergone various rounds of rigorous testing, including emergency simulations and robotics training, to see how well they perform under pressure and how they operate in a team, Hanson said.
鈥淲e really want to know what they鈥檙e made of,鈥� he explained. 鈥淲e put them in scenarios where they鈥檙e fighting fires, battling a sinking ship, escaping out of a capsule that鈥檚 landed in high seas.鈥�
Bains praised the finalists and pointed out the importance of nurturing Canada鈥檚 space program.
鈥淭he young Canadians whose imaginations are fired up today, could be the innovators of tomorrow,鈥� he said before offering some advice to the candidates. 鈥淕ood luck and kick some butt.鈥�
, the top two applicants will be announced this summer, in time to begin training in August.
Here are the 17 finalists:
Matthew Bamsey:
Current job: Chief systems engineer, EDEN ISS Project, German Aerospace Centre
Education: Bachelor鈥檚 in aerospace engineering; Master鈥檚 in bioastronautics and Ph.D. in environmental biology.
Current home: Bremen, Germany
Why he wants to become an astronaut: Exploration. 鈥淗umans need to explore. We need to be doing something outside of our "day to day" to push boundaries, to come up with new ideas, to understand what is possible,鈥� Bamsey鈥檚 profile on the CSA website states.
Alex DeLorey:
Current job: Project Manager for the Components and Feeder Design, Bruce Major Component Replacement Project
Education: Bachelor鈥檚 in mechanical engineering
Current home: Milton, Ont.
Why he wants to become an astronaut: 鈥淭his is an exciting position on an important team that allows us to push the boundaries of our knowledge and capabilities further while inspiring others to do the same,鈥� DeLorey said.
Francis James Frenzel:
Current job: Pilot-in-training for the Royal Canadian Air Force
Education: Bachelor鈥檚 in physics and English language and literature; Master鈥檚 in aerospace engineering
Current home: Petersburg, Ont.
Why he wants to become an astronaut: 鈥淚 love this country and take pride in serving the nation; what better way to do so than by inspiring the next generation of dreamers?鈥� Frenzel said.
Vanessa Fulford:
Current job: Flight test engineer for the Royal Canadian Air Force
Education: Bachelor鈥檚 in space science; Master鈥檚 in flight test and evaluation
Current home: Cold Lake, Alta.
Why she wants to become an astronaut: 鈥淚 want to be a role model for future generations. I take pride in motivating and exciting people about the possibilities of the future and the amazing things that they can experience,鈥� she said.
Michael Anthony Jordan:
Current job: Lead Department of Defence test pilot
Education: Bachelor鈥檚 in computer software; post-graduate certificate in flight dynamics; qualified test pilot certification
Current home: Jupiter, Fla.
Why he wants to become an astronaut: 鈥淭he human species seems to be at the cusp of embarking on an evolutionary step that will define our continued existence. It would be an honour to be a part of that step and to share the journey with the world,鈥� he said.
Erik Kroeker:
Current job: Staff scientist and university lecturer
Education: Bachelor鈥檚 in mechanical and aerospace engineering; Master鈥檚 in aerospace engineering; Ph.D. in aerospace engineering
Current home: Urbana, Ill.
Why he wants to become an astronaut: 鈥淭he biggest reason I want to become an astronaut is to be able to share the incredible space science being done with a large audience,鈥� Kroeker said.
Joshua Kutryk:
Current job: Officer commanding for Fighter Operational Test and Evaluation Flight
Education: Bachelor鈥檚 in mechanical engineering; Master鈥檚 in aeronautical science (space studies); Master's in flight test engineering and Master鈥檚 in defence studies
Current home: Cold Lake, Alta.
Why he wants to become an astronaut: 鈥淚 have always wanted to leave the world a better place than I found it, and I believe that space is one area where I can do so,鈥� Kutryk said.
Charles-Philippe Lajoie:
Current job: Astronomical optics scientist
Education: Ph.D. in physics and astronomy
Current home: Baltimore, Md.
Why he wants to become an astronaut: 鈥淎s a kid growing up with images of the Hubble Space Telescope and the Apollo missions, becoming an astronaut has always been a dream, albeit one I knew is hard to reach. I also love pushing my limits and seeking new challenges and adventures,鈥� he said.
Jason Leuschen:
Current job: Student pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force
Education: Bachelor鈥檚 in mechanical engineering
Current home: Ottawa, Ont.
Why he wants to become an astronaut: 鈥淚 fell in love with the sky growing up on a farm in The Land of The Living Skies (Saskatchewan, of course),鈥� he said. 鈥淚 have wanted to be an astronaut, to get a little closer to the heavens, ever since.鈥�
Robert Riddell:
Current job: Medical officer in the Canadian Armed Forces
Education: Bachelor鈥檚 in chemical and materials engineering; Bachelor鈥檚 in biochemistry; Doctorate in medicine; Rural family medicine residency
Current home: Ottawa, Ont.
Why he wants to become an astronaut: 鈥淯nlike any job on Earth, being an astronaut would allow me to draw on the knowledge that I have gained from my formal education and the unique experiences I have had as a military officer and rural physician,鈥� Riddell said.
Jennifer Anne MacKinnon Sidey:
Current job: Lecturer in the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge
Education: Bachelor鈥檚 in mechanical engineering; Ph.D. in engineering
Current home: Cambridge, U.K.
Why she wants to become an astronaut: 鈥淚 want to become an astronaut because it provides an incredible challenge. It aligns with my interests in the advancement and application of science for the benefit of society,鈥� she said.
Adam Sirek:
Current job: Family physician and Captain in the Royal Canadian Air Force
Education: Bachelor鈥檚 in science; Master鈥檚 in science; Diploma in higher education; Doctorate in medicine
Current home: Tecumseh, Ont.
Why he wants to become an astronaut: 鈥淚 have always loved both aviation and medicine,鈥� Sirek said. 鈥淪cience and experiments performed on orbit has led to improvements for all of humanity, and this has been a driving factor in all of my aerospace medicine training.鈥�
Nathalie Sleno:
Current job: Medical officer and team lead for 1 Field Ambulance Detachment in Yellowknife
Education: Bachelor鈥檚 in science; Doctorate in medicine; Family medicine residency
Current home: Yellowknife, N.W.T.
Why she wants to become an astronaut: 鈥淚t would be the greatest achievement鈥攁nd the ultimate experience鈥攖o participate in the forefront of science! To be so closely involved in the greatest frontier, as we continue to push limits and pursue knowledge, would be a dream come true,鈥� she said.
Evan Alexander Beirne Thomas:
Current job: Associate professor at Portland State University
Education: Bachelor鈥檚 in broadcast journalism; Bachelor鈥檚 in aerospace engineering; Master鈥檚 in public health; Master鈥檚 in aerospace engineering sciences; Ph.D. in aerospace engineering sciences
Current home: Portland, Ore.
Why he wants to become an astronaut: 鈥淚 want to be an astronaut because the International Space Station is both a research and development platform and a global pulpit for tangible, impactful collaborations that can simultaneously further space exploration while addressing chronic challenges on Earth,鈥� he said.
Andréane Vidal:
Current job: Officer responsible for research and development of future capabilities in the Canadian Armed Forces
Education: Bachelor鈥檚 in chemical engineering
Current home: Belleville, Ont.
Why she wants to become an astronaut: 鈥淚 would like to use the two types of knowledge and skills I acquired during my professional career for the benefit of humanity, and becoming an astronaut for the Canadian Space Agency is an ideal opportunity to do just that,鈥� Vidal said.
Michelle Whitty:
Current job: Captain in the Canadian Armed Forces and qualified combat engineering officer
Education: Bachelor鈥檚 in civil engineering; Master鈥檚 in civil engineering; Doctorate in medicine; Family medicine residency
Current home: Calgary, Alta.
Why she wants to become an astronaut: 鈥淭he thought of a lifetime of learning, travelling and adventure makes me excited. I am thrilled at the opportunity to be able to merge the fields of medicine, engineering and space exploration and push the limits of human knowledge,鈥� she said.
Jesse Zroback:
Current job: Family physician in the remote community of Marathon, Ont. and assistant professor at the NOSM
Education: Bachelor鈥檚 in chemical engineering; Doctorate in medicine; Family medicine residency
Current home: Marathon, Ont.
Why he wants to become an astronaut: 鈥淒iscovery through exploration and adventure is a passion of mine. It would be extremely rewarding to push myself to my highest potential through the skills development and variety of rigorous challenges of astronaut training,鈥� he said.
