Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk is shown at the Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida on Monday March 30, 2026. Kutryk says Canada's space industry is playing a key role in the upcoming Artemis II mission, which is sending humans near the moon for the first time since 1972. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Kelly Malone

By The Canadian Press

5 things to know about the Canadian astronaut joining NASA’s Crew 13

Aug 3, 2026 | 5:24 PM

A few months after Artemis II’s lunar flyby, another Canadian astronaut is preparing for a mission in space.

The Canadian Space Agency’s Joshua Kutryk is one of four members assigned to NASA’s SpaceX Crew 13 mission.

The crew will spend six months at the International Space Station to conduct health experiments and maintenance work.

Here are five things to know about Kutryk.

1. Kutryk dreamt of going to space when he was growing up on a cattle farm in eastern Alberta, which he described as “a long way from being here with this mission.”

Aug. 11

City of Red Deer to host Greater Downtown engagement series

23h ago

lots to learn

Six-pack of moose under great care at Medicine River Wildlife Centre

Aug 02, 2026

do not approach

Missing: Aaron Eaton, 64, of Red Deer

Aug 02, 2026

2. Kutryk served as a CF-18 fighter pilot in Bagotville, Que., from 2007 to 2011, and was deployed to Libya and Afghanistan. He then worked as a test pilot in Cold Lake, Alta., until 2015. He says that as a pilot and astronaut, he loves to operate systems in high-risk, high-consequence environments.

3. Kutryk’s wife is currently pregnant with their third child, and is expected to be giving birth while he is at the International Space Station. The Canadian Space Agency says teams are in place to support the family.

4. He is only the fourth Canadian to conduct a long-duration mission at the International Space Station. David St-Jacques, the last Canadian who lived at the space station, returned to Earth in 2019 after a 204-day mission.

5. Kutryk will be become the first Canadian Space Agency astronaut to be part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which is held in partnership with American private companies like Boeing and SpaceX.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 3, 2026.

Erika Morris, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

5 things to know about the Canadian astronaut joining NASA’s Crew 13

What's Trending