Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques returns to Earth next week after 204 days

Jun 20 2019, 10:04 pm

Anytime you get to announce that you’re returning to Earth, you have a pretty cool job.

It’s just another classic, “Honey, I’m coming home from work” scenario. Except you know, from outer space.

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After being in orbit since December 3, 2018, Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut David Saint-Jacques will leave the International Space Station and return to Earth on June 24.

His return will mark the end of a 204-day mission, making it the longest space mission ever conducted by a Canadian astronaut, according to the CSA.

For the record, fellow Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield spent 166 days in outer space.

An engineer, astrophysicist and medical doctor, from the École Polytechnique de Montréal, Saint-Jacques brings a broad set of skills to the ISS. He is fully trained as Soyuz co-pilot, robotic operator and spacewalker.

David St-Jacques

David Saint-Jacques/Facebook

While in space, the 48-year-old operated Canadarm2 and performed maintenance duties. Saint-Jacques conducted science experiments and technology demonstrations, including ground-breaking Canadian health science experiments that helped further advance the possibility of safe space travel for humans.

Saint-Jacques also stayed active on social media, bringing some literally ‘out of this world’ tweets to Earthlings.


In December, Saint-Jacques successfully launched into space towards the International Space Station (ISS) alongside crewmates Anne McClain of NASA and Oleg Kononenko of the Russian space agency, Roscosmos.

The Quebec native became the 9th Canadian astronaut to be launched into space, and the first since Chris Hadfield in 2013.

Saint-Jacques says that upon his return, he will grapple with the return to gravity (no biggy) and he says he is looking forward to holding his wife and their three children.

Ty JadahTy Jadah

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