David Saint-Jacques: first 100 days in space
Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut David Saint-Jacques has been in space for 100 days today! Here are 10 photos that summarize his mission on the International Space Station (ISS) so far.
3, 2, 1… Liftoff!
On , at 6:31 a.m. ET, David Saint-Jacques launched into space aboard a Soyuz rocket along with his Expedition 58 crewmates, NASA's Anne McClain and Roscosmos's Oleg Kononenko. This was the 100th orbital launch of the year. (Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani.)
MARROW: A Canadian study
A few days after arriving on the ISS, David was already hard at work! Here, he is collecting blood samples for MARROW, a Canadian study that takes a closer look at the space-related changes that occur in blood and bone marrow. (Credit: NASA.)
Sweet dreams, David!
Astronauts go to bed in their "sleep station," a personal sleep compartment just like this one. Would you be able to sleep in such a tiny room for 100 days? (Credit: CSA/NASA)
Story time from space
On , the CSA released a space-themed children's story featuring David Saint-Jacques. "The Explorers Club" is the CSA's first e-book and was officially launched by David himself, who read the story to thousands of children across Canada! (Credit: CSA.)
Geography in space
Every time David looks outside the Station, he has the opportunity to test his geography knowledge. Pictured above are Italy and the Adriatic Sea, as photographed by David early in his mission. (Credit: CSA/NASA)
A stellar birthday
On , David turned 49 in space! Although he couldn't celebrate in person with his loved ones, he called his mom and opened a present that contained handwritten letters from family members and friends. His crewmates also covered the galley with photos from his childhood and gave him a birthday card. (Credit: CSA/NASA)
Fresh snacks in orbit
Living in space doesn't necessarily mean only eating dehydrated food. In this photo, David enjoys a fresh apple, a rare treat in orbit! (Credit: CSA/NASA)
Monitoring vital signs in real time
David tries the Bio-Monitor, a new Canadian technology, for the first time in space. The innovative smart shirt system is designed to measure and record astronauts' vital signs. (Credit: CSA/NASA)
Tracking space radiation with bubbles
David Saint-Jacques regularly distributes finger-sized tubes of polymer gel, known as bubble monitors, around the ISS for the Radi-N2 study. This Canadian space research could help reduce radiation risks for future space travellers. Fun fact: Classrooms across Canada can compare their data with the ISS's through the Radi-N2 and You initiative. (Credit: CSA/NASA)
A new era in space flight
On , SpaceX launched its Crew Dragon spacecraft on a test flight, known as Demo-1, and it docked to the ISS the next day. David was the first astronaut to enter the docked spacecraft. What a historic moment! (Credit: CSA/NASA)