Life is full of opportunity, you just have to be willing to reach out and grab it.
That's the message Canadian astronaut and author Chris Hadfield will be bringing to Prince George today as the keynote speaker at the Dr. Bob Ewert Memorial Lecture and Dinner. The Citizen caught up with Hadfield on Wednesday, between appearances in Vancouver and San Francisco.
"There is an endless list of opportunities that exist for people... I want people to recognize that. It's amazing what can happen in one lifetime," Hadfield said. "[But] if you want to become something, you have to make yourself into it."
In addition to speaking at the sold-out fundraising lecture, Hadfield will be signing copies of his best-selling book, An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth, at The Exploration Place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.
In addition, Hadfield will spend an hour meeting with 45 students from Grades 4 to 7 from schools across the region.
During his 21-year career as an astronaut, Hadfield has spoken at thousands of schools and other venues. He had a program he called On the Lunchpad, where he'd use his lunch breaks to speak to schools and answer questions.
Hadfield said he's always considered sharing his experiences as an astronaut part of his job.
"It's at the core of what we do. I'm doing it on behalf of other people," he said. "[When in space] I'm the eyes and ears and hands of millions of people."
What has changed over his career was the technology that enabled him to share his experiences through live video and the Internet, Hadfield said. That technology allowed him to host a live sing along with 700,000 students from the International Space Station (ISS).
"The reaction speaks for itself. Millions of people responded out of their own interest," he said.
In addition to speaking about his experiences in space, Hadfield will speak about what he and other astronauts do on Earth -the work that's involved, the type of person it takes and what they do to prepare for "the danger and complexity" of missions to space.
"What I... like to do is give people something they can get out of the discussion," Hadfield said.
Hadfield said he worked very hard and has been very fortunate to have experienced the things he has -including three space missions and commanding an underwater mission. His career includes numerous firsts for Canadians in space (see related story).
Those experiences have shaped his appreciation and respect for life and the world, he said.
"All of that creates who you are," he said. "The space flight... it's not an epiphany. It was much more of a reinforcement and deepening of all the things I believe in. It just becomes even more significant."
Hadfield said, given a chance, he'd keep doing it.
"I'd dedicated my life to being able to completely fly in space. I'd love the opportunity to fly again in space," he said. "[But] it's the hardest physical [exam] in the world to be part of the space station."
If there was something he wanted to do in space that he didn't get a chance too it was, "walk on the moon," he said.
"I wanted to be Neil Armstrong. I'm not alone in that," he said. "Neil Armstrong was my hero growing up."
Hadfield said he believes in the future of the Canadian space program and the importance of continued manned exploration of space.
"We use robots to do the stuff that is tedious or dangerous or that we couldn't do on our own. Robots enhance human capacity. But it doesn't really matter unless humans are involved," Hadfield said.
The drive to explore space is the same that prompted humans to explore and expand from Africa where we evolved to the far reaches of the Earth, he said.
INTO THE FUTURE
Hadfield retired from the Canadian Space Agency on last July 3 after returning from his mission as commander of the ISS. But just because he is retired doesn't mean he is slowing down.
"I like working, that's how you get stuff done," Hadfield said. "I think this is the fifth time I've retired. Recently I thought retiring is like putting new tires on, it gives you traction to pursue new things."
The best-selling author is working on a children's book and another book for adults, and has a book of space photography coming out later this year.
In addition, Hadfield is a part-time professor at the University of Waterloo and consults with the aerospace industry.
"There is a huge demand for me to talk," he added.
Hadfield gave a TED Talk in Vancouver in March that has been "going viral" he said.
He said he's trying to take the recent public attention in stride.
"I've been a public figure for 21 years," he said. "I was on the cover of Time magazine in 1995."
But between the book tours and speaking engagements, he also hopes to spend some time working on the family cottage, he said.
"[And] I've got an old car I'd like to fix up with my dad," Hadfield said.
