Would you feel important if you were the first Canadian selected to go into space? Marc Garneau probably felt like that when he stepped onto the Challenger in 1984. Marc Garneau is important to Canada because he was the first Canadian in space. Marc Garneau’s life before being selected as an astronaut, then being selected to go into space and the missions he would go on later in life are all important parts of him becoming the first Canadian in space.
Marc Garneau was born in February 23, 1949 in Quebec City. He was a family man who is married with four children. Before becoming an astronaut, he worked as a combat systems engineer in the navy. Marc was also an instructor for the naval weapons instructor. He retired from the navy in 1989 to work full time in the space program, despite his wife’s original comment of “I can’t imagine you as an astronaut,”(Canada in Space 43). Marc Garneau’s life and career in the navy, prior to becoming an astronaut was important for him being selected to go into space.
One cannot become an astronaut overnight. Marc Garneau would describe signing up for his career as an astronaut as “just fate. I saw a career ad for Canadian astronauts in the paper. If I had taken my holiday in July, I never would have applied,”(43) Marc Garneau had to meet stringent medical requirements. His flying experience and being bilingual was an asset. Once he met those requirements, he would become an employee of the NRC for up to three years. Marc was picked as one of six from 4'000 Canadians to go to the Canadian Astronaut Program (CAP) in 1983. He started his astronaut training on February 19, 1984. This was the beginning of him becoming the first Canadian in space.
In total Marc Garneau went on three missions. His first mission was at 5:01 AM EDT, October 5, 1984 and he helped work on experiments. He spent eight days in space and completed one hundred and thirty-three orbits (over 3.4 million miles). Garneau ,during a presentation of the mission said “I had a ball,”(36). On his second mission, in 1996, he helped deploy the Spartan satellite and small satellite test units. His third mission involved using the Canadarm to install the first set of solar arrays. During the mission he preformed three space walks and delivered equipment and supplies to the space station’s first crew. These missions helped Canada to carve out a place in the world of interstellar travel.
In conclusion, Marc Garneau, while not a Canadian household name, is probably one of the most important Canadians in the 20th century. His previous jobs in the navy and training from CAP helped him become an astronaut and go on three missions. He would later become the first Canadian in space. Because of this, Marc Garneau is a real Canadian hero.
4 comments:
Um...The Challenger, is that the same Challenger as the American one? Or was there more than one? (I'm thinking there must have been, because, as memory serves, the Challenger exploded killing all that were on board, and that was in 1986...)
And secondly, you referred to the city as "Quebec City". That makes me laugh because I was in Quebec City last June, and a lot of the people there (aside from being somewhat contemptuous towards me and all the other Americans I was with) did NOT like it being referred to as Quebec City. Well, I don't know if it was that they didn't like it, but in a conversation I over heard, a québécois guy was talking about the city and said something like. "I live in Quebec, or Quebec City, as the Americans call it..." (This was in french, and there was a slight hint of disgust in his voice when he said it.)
It may have been the same Challenger, but it was in 1984, and I have never been to Quebec City so I don't know. I always called it Quebec City, but It never really effected me.
It's a nice place; you should go there some day (assuming you speak French, but even if not, there are a fair amount of people there that speak English.)
I tried learning French, but it never really stuck
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