The fourth Canadian to live and work in orbit for months
In the long arc of human reach beyond Earth, Canada has quietly but steadily extended its presence — and today, that presence deepened. Joshua Kutryk, one of four active Canadian astronauts, has been assigned to a six-month mission aboard the International Space Station launching no earlier than early 2025, becoming the fourth Canadian to undertake a long-duration stay in orbit. Announced from the Canadian Space Agency's headquarters near Montreal, the news arrived alongside word that fellow astronaut Jenni Gibbons will serve as backup for the Artemis II lunar mission — together marking a moment when Canada's junior astronaut cohort steps fully into the world's most consequential space endeavours.
- Canada's astronaut program reaches a quiet inflection point as both members of its 2017 cohort are simultaneously assigned to major international missions for the first time.
- Kutryk's six-month ISS posting — no earlier than early 2025 — places him among a small group of Canadians who have lived and worked in the demanding conditions of sustained microgravity.
- Gibbons' backup role on Artemis II keeps Canada in the frame for humanity's return to the Moon, even as her participation hinges on primary crew member Jeremy Hansen remaining mission-ready.
- The dual announcements signal that years of training have translated into active deployment, shifting Canada's astronaut corps from preparation to presence on the world stage.
Joshua Kutryk is going to space. The Canadian astronaut has been assigned to a six-month mission aboard the International Space Station, with launch set for no earlier than early 2025. The announcement came from Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, speaking at the Canadian Space Agency's headquarters near Montreal.
Kutryk will become the fourth Canadian to complete a long-duration stay on the station — joining a lineage that includes David Saint-Jacques, who logged more than six months aboard during missions in 2018 and 2019. Kutryk and Jenni Gibbons were selected together in 2017, making them the corps' junior members alongside the more senior Saint-Jacques and Jeremy Hansen, who joined in 2009.
The announcement also placed Canada within NASA's lunar ambitions. Gibbons has been named backup astronaut for Artemis II, the crewed mission that will send four people around the Moon as early as November 2024. She would step in for Hansen if he were unable to fly — a contingent but meaningful role in humanity's return to lunar exploration.
What gives the moment its weight is the symmetry: two astronauts selected together six years ago are now moving into major missions at the same time. Kutryk carries Canada's presence in low Earth orbit forward, while Gibbons stands ready at the threshold of the Moon. The junior cohort is no longer waiting — they are deployed.
Joshua Kutryk is going to space. The Canadian astronaut has been assigned to a six-month mission aboard the International Space Station, with launch scheduled for no earlier than early 2025. The announcement came today from François-Philippe Champagne, the federal minister of innovation, science and industry, speaking from the Canadian Space Agency headquarters near Montreal.
Kutryk will become the fourth Canadian astronaut to complete a long-duration stay on the station—a milestone that underscores Canada's deepening role in sustained orbital operations. He is one of four active Canadian astronauts currently in service. Kutryk and Jenni Gibbons were both selected in 2017, making them the junior members of the corps. The other two, David Saint-Jacques and Jeremy Hansen, joined in 2009.
Saint-Jacques has already logged more than six months aboard the station during missions in 2018 and 2019. Kutryk's assignment places him in that same category of Canadian space explorers who have lived and worked in microgravity for extended periods—a distinction that requires years of training and preparation.
The announcement also positioned Canada within NASA's most ambitious current program. Gibbons has been named as the backup astronaut for Artemis II, the crewed lunar mission that will send four people around the Moon as early as November 2024. She will step in for Jeremy Hansen if he becomes unable to participate. This assignment gives Canada a seat at the table for humanity's return to lunar exploration, even if Gibbons' role is contingent. Hansen remains the primary Canadian crew member for that historic flight.
The timing matters. Both Kutryk and Gibbons, selected together six years ago, are now moving into major international missions simultaneously. Kutryk's ISS assignment represents the continuation of Canada's presence in low Earth orbit, while Gibbons' backup role on Artemis II signals Canadian involvement in the next phase of space exploration. Together, they represent the maturation of Canada's astronaut program—the junior cohort is no longer in training but actively deployed on the world's most significant space missions.
Notable Quotes
Announcement made by François-Philippe Champagne, federal minister of innovation, science and industry, at Canadian Space Agency headquarters near Montreal— Canadian Space Agency
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does it matter that Kutryk becomes the fourth Canadian to do a long-duration mission on the station?
Because long-duration means you're not just visiting—you're living there for months. It's the difference between a tourist and a resident. It takes a different kind of training, a different kind of commitment. Canada's saying we can do this work at that level.
And Gibbons as a backup for the Moon mission—is that a real assignment or more of a placeholder?
It's real in the sense that she's training, she's part of the program, she's in the pipeline. But yes, it's contingent. She goes if Hansen can't. That's the nature of backup roles. Still, it means Canada is woven into Artemis in a meaningful way.
Both of them were selected in 2017. Why announce both assignments now, together?
Timing. They're ready. The missions are coming into focus. And politically, it's a good story—two junior astronauts, selected together, now both heading to major international missions. It shows the program is working.
What does six months on the ISS actually involve?
Living in orbit, conducting experiments, maintaining the station, doing spacewalks if needed. It's work—real, demanding work. Not just being there, but doing science and keeping the most expensive object humans have ever built operational.
So Kutryk is following in Saint-Jacques' footsteps?
In a way. Saint-Jacques did it in 2018 and 2019. Now Kutryk gets his turn. It's becoming a pattern for Canada—we're not just sending people up, we're sending them for the long haul.