Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk is set to embark on a space mission to the International Space Station (ISS), following in the footsteps of Jeremy Hansen, who recently circled the moon. Kutryk, born in Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., expressed his excitement during a press call, sharing his disbelief at the opportunity presented to him.
An engineer, fighter pilot, and test pilot with extensive flight experience, Kutryk was selected by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) in 2017 along with Jenni Gibbons. Initially scheduled to launch on Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner, Kutryk will now be aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon due to delays in Boeing’s mission.
Despite a brief delay in the launch date to October 1, Kutryk remains confident in the spacecraft’s readiness. He will spend approximately six months on the ISS, bringing Canadian items and flags with him, including a sentimental pocket watch that holds significance to his family history.
Looking forward to the simple pleasure of gazing out of the window at Earth, Kutryk emphasized the unity and progress demonstrated by international space missions amidst global challenges. The Crew 13 launch will also include NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, as well as Russian cosmonaut Sergey Teteriatnikov, with whom Kutryk will conduct various experiments during their time on the ISS.
