Watching the northern lights from the International Space Station is a long way from where Joshua Kutryk started. It marks the first time an Alberta-born astronaut is living on the ISS. Kutryk spoke from space about what the mission represents and what nations can accomplish when they work together. “An absolutely spectacular experience, makes me feel very lucky to be here, and have Canada involved in this partnership,” Kutryk said. Kutryk grew up on a cattle ranch in Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., and many Albertans are following his mission aboard the ISS. “When somebody who grew up on a cattle farm, not that far from where we are here in Calgary comes and is doing such a remarkable thing, it really allows all of our guests to see themselves on the international space station or to contribute to Canada’s space agency,” said Maddie Bemrose, senior manager of science at TELUS Spark. Kutryk spoke to sold-out crowds at TELUS Spark in May. The science centre also held a watch party for the Oct. 1 launch that sent him into space alongside a Russian cosmonaut and two NASA astronauts. “And every time we have anything to do with space at our science center, it is usually sold out and very busy,” Bemrose said. Interest in space has also been boosted by high-profile Canadian missions, including Kutryk’s and the recent Artemis II mission, which saw Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen orbit the moon while Calgary’s Jenni Gibbons supported the mission from Earth. “To prove that someone from Alberta actually grew up to be an astronaut. It’s an exciting time to be involved in space,” said Jeroen Stil, an associate professor in the University of Calgary’s Department of Physics and Astronomy. Stil said interest in astrophysics is growing at the university. Enrollment capacity in one of his advanced courses has been expanded because of high demand. “Raised the cap twice to now 72 students in the winter, that’s more than double the original cap,” he said. As more people dream about what is possible beyond Earth, Kutryk said viewing the planet from space has given him a new perspective. “It’s just one world, it’s one thing hanging in the blackness of space and you don’t see all the countries and all the problems and all the challenges, you just see this little bit of perfection that we should really be trying to protect,” Kutryk said. To mark his time aboard the ISS, Kutryk brought a pocket watch that is about 100 years old and was brought from Ukraine to Canada by his great-grandfather in the early 1900s. Kutryk is participating in several experiments during his mission, including a Canadian study focused on building strength in space. His wife is expecting their third child while he is on the mission.
