International Space Day: Amazing moments in Canadian space travel history

Alouette 1 - The Canadian-made Alouette 1 satellite was launched with the expectation it would last one year. It lasted ten. Canada has launched 14 satellites in all with another planned for 2018. In 1972, Canada became the first country to launch a satellite that only covered its own part of the country, rather than rotate around the entire earth.

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Canadian satellites - Canada has launched 14 satellites in all with another planned for this year.

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Canadian satellites - In 1972, Canada became the first country to launch a satellite that only covered its own geographic region rather than the entire earth.

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Marc Garneau - The first Canadian in space was Marc Garneau aboard the Challenger in 1984.

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Marc Garneau - Garneau also became the first Canadian to do two tours in space when he returned aboard the Endeavour in 1996.

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Marc Garneau - Marc Garneau is now a Canadian Member of Parliament.

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Roberta Bondar - The first Canadian woman in space was aboard the Discovery in 1992.

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Roberta Bondar - She was honoured at the Toronto International Film Festival at the premiere of 'Gravity.'

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Roberta Bondar - Bondar was in charge of a research team at NASA for 10 years.

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Chris Hadfield - The most famous Canadian astronaut first went into orbit aboard the Endeavor in 1995.

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Chris Hadfield - He was also the only Canadian to board the Russian modular space station, the Mir.

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Chris Hadfield - Chris Hadfield became the first Canadian to do a spacewalk when he returned to space on the same shuttle in 2001.

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Chris Hadfield - Hadfield became globally famous in 2012 when he became the first Canadian to captain a spacecraft.

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Chris Hadfield - His active social media feed featuring Hadfield playing 'Space Oddity' by David Bowie on the guitar propelled him to fame.

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Robert Thirsk - Robert Thirsk first went to space aboard the Columbia shuttle in 1996.

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Robert Thirsk - In 2009, Robert Thirsk became the first Canadian to board a Russian rocket, the Soyuz-FG.

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Robert Thirsk - He was the first Canadian permanent member of the ISS.

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Julie Payette - The first Canadian woman to return to space went aboard the Endeavour in 2009.

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Julie Payette - Julie Payette was aboard the first mission where two Canadians were present and the largest gathering of people in space (13).

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Julie Payette - She was also the last Canadian to board a U.S. space shuttle.

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Julie Payette - Julie Payette is now the Governor General of Canada.

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Dafydd Williams - Dafydd Williams went to space on the Columbia shuttle in 1998.

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Guy Laliberté - Canada's first space tourist was Guy Laliberté, who went to the ISS aboard the Soyuz TMA-16.

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Guy Laliberté - Guy Laliberté is the founder of Cirque du Soleil.

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Canadarm - The first Canadarm was used on shuttles to manage payloads.

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Canadarm2 - It was followed by one of Canada's biggest and best-known contributions to space travel, the Canadarm2.

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Canadarm2 - The Canadarm2, aboard the ISS, assisted with the construction of the space station and grabs ahold of unmanned ships.

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Canadarm2 - The Canadian technology, bearing the government's logo on it, also assists in space-walks.

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Alouette 1 - In 1962, Canada became the third country to enter space.

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