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Two Canadian astronauts to visit the International Space Station in 2009

Feb. 11, 2008, Montreal – Two Canadian astronauts will be visiting the
International Space Station next year.

Industry Minister Jim Prentice, who's the minister responsible
for the Canadian Space Agency, says mission specialist Julie Payette
will head to the space station aboard the shuttle Endeavour in April
2009.

It will be Payette's second mission in space – she was aboard
Discovery in 1999.

A month later, Bob Thirsk will travel to the space station and be
the first Canadian to stay for an extended period. He's expected to
be there about six months.

Thirsk will make his trip aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule.

He was aboard the shuttle Columbia in 1996.

Prentice made the announcement in Montreal this morning at the
Canadian Space Agency.