Alberta Astronaut to Spend 6 Months Working on International Space Station

Alberta’s Joshua Kutryk will be the second Canadian astronaut to travel to space this year, following Jeremy Hansen’s 10-day Artemis II mission around the Moon. Unlike Hansen, however, Kutryk will spend several months aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Kutryk, 44, from Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., is at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, preparing to launch on Oct. 1 at 11:10 a.m. EDT aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. It will be his first spaceflight.

During the mission, he will contribute to scientific research, technology demonstrations, maintenance, and daily operations aboard the space station with the multinational crew.

Kutryk is an engineer, fighter pilot, and test pilot who has flown more than 4,000 hours in more than 40 different aircraft.

“I never, ever, ever, ever … thought that I would have this opportunity to go out on behalf of Canada and do a mission like this,” Kutryk told reporters on Sept. 23.

“I always dreamed of it and thought it would be the most wonderful experience, but I always viewed it as impossibly hard, something you’d have to be very lucky for,” he added.

Crew-13 will also include NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. Watkins will serve as commander, Delaney as pilot, and Kutryk and Teteryatnikov as mission specialists.

The crew will also test technology for future moon missions, such as space vehicles, new propulsion systems, and new navigation systems.

Kutryk said the mission allows him to pursue several of his passions, including science, engineering, and exploration. He said those interests were also among the reasons he became a test pilot, served in the military, and studied engineering.

The Afghanistan veteran encouraged young people to develop their passions, saying they can draw on those interests later in life. He said his own interests in space and flying guided many of his personal and professional decisions.

Kutryk said he hoped the mission and activities in space would remind people that “the future is bright,” even when life feels chaotic. He said that when he puts on his spacesuit and joins colleagues from Russia, the United States, and elsewhere, he feels removed from “all the bad headlines.”

“This is the path to a really bright, prosperous future, one where countries are working together, not fighting, one where we’re looking after the world, not ruining it,” he added. “We need our young Canadians to do it, and I hope they see that when they watch this launch.”

Changes

Kutryk and his team have experienced several unexpected changes leading up to the mission. Crew-13 was originally scheduled to launch on Sept. 12, but the launch was delayed after an oxidizer leak was detected in the Dragon spacecraft’s propulsion system.

Kutryk said managing unexpected changes is important, particularly because spaceflight is difficult and astronauts must be prepared for whatever a mission throws at them. He said adaptability requires staying “in good mental form” to fulfill the mission.

“I think that at the beginning of the experience, four years ago with Boeing when it just started, that was a new skill for me,” he said. “But since then, I’ve had the opportunity several times to practice, to work on my capacity to manage the change.”

Kutryk said people often view technical preparation as the most important part of a mission, but he believes building camaraderie among the crew is even more important because they will be living and working together in close quarters for about six months.

The Albertan said he has known Watkins since basic astronaut training and that they and their families have become good friends. He also said he feels fortunate to fly under her command.

Kutryk noted that NASA has worked to build trust among the four crew members through stressful training scenarios, simulations, and other exercises designed to prepare them for the demands of spaceflight.

Kutryk said he “can’t wait” to find the biggest window aboard the ISS and “just stare at Earth.” He also hopes to have the opportunity to perform a spacewalk.

Kutryk also said he’ll bring “a lot of Canadian flags” on the mission, along with other meaningful items he has received. Among them is a pocket watch dating to the early 1900s that his Ukrainian ancestors brought with them to their Alberta farm more than a century ago.