Marc Garneau

Marc Garneau, C.C., C.D., B.Sc., Ph.D., FCASI, was born on February 23, 1949 in Quebec City. He studied Engineering Physics at the Royal Military College of Kingston, and earned his Doctorate in Electrical Engineering from the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London, England, in 1973.

He began his career as a naval officer in 1973 and was based in Halifax, serving as an engineer and instructor. In 1980 he began working with the Naval Engineering Unit where he helped develop an aircraft-towed target system to measure naval gunnery accuracy. Promoted to the rank of Commander in 1982, he was transferred to Ottawa in 1983 and became design authority for naval communications and electronics warfare equipment and systems.

In 1992 he was selected for the year-long mission specialist training course at the Johnson Space Center. He worked on technical issues for the Astronaut Robotics Integration Team, becoming an expert in operating the Canadarm. He also became the first non-American ever to work in the key role of spacecraft communicator, CAPCOM, in Mission Control during more than a dozen shuttle flights.

Garneau flew on two further flights. He was mission specialist on space shuttle Endeavour, flight STS-77, from May 19-29, 1996, which focused primarily on micro-gravity research (effects of weightlessness) and the launch and retrieval of the Spartan spacecraft using the Canadarm.

For his third space flight, STS-97, he was mission specialist and flight engineer on the Endeavour from November 30 to December 11, 2000. The Endeavour brought up truss structure P6 weighing 17 tons to the International Space Station. P6 included the first large solar panels to be deployed on the Station. He used the Canadarm to maneuver the gigantic P6 truss segment out of the cargo bay and into place, manipulating the robotic arm from inside the spacecraft while two of his crew mates completed operations from the outside. The station derives its power from the conversion of solar energy into electrical power, and these new panels greatly increased the power supply for the ISS.

In February 2001 he was appointed executive vice-president of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and later that year became its president, a position he held until 2005. As President of the CSA, he was responsible for a staff of approximately 700 and an annual budget of some $300,000,000. He drafted the Canadian Space Strategy, a Cabinet-approved document that defined the mandate and the long-term vision of the Canadian Space Program. A number of major programs were initiated or completed under his leadership. New partnerships were created with countries such as China, India, and Israel; existing partnerships with NASA, the European Space Agency, the Russian Space Agency and the Japanese Space Agency were renewed. During his tenure as president, Garneau focused on building stronger links between CSA and its stakeholders, the scientific community, government and industry.

As President of the CSA, he was responsible for the smooth deployment of Canada's robotic contribution to the ISS, the Mobile Servicing System (MSS). This also included training facilities at the CSA itself to train all astronauts and cosmonauts using the MSS, as well as a CSA control centre responsible for supporting Houston during MSS operations on the Station. Without this unique and indispensable Canadian system, now seven successful years in operation, the highly complex ISS simply could not have been built. His stewardship of this dimension of the ISS program was a major element of Canada's role in an exclusive group of nations.

Garneau logged about 678 hours n space during his three missions. Even more importantly, and often working behind the scenes, he used his engineering expertise, his passion and his quiet grace to bring success to Canada's space program and create opportunities for Canadian astronauts who followed in his footsteps.

Passionate about planetary exploration and a visionary in formulating a role for the Canadian scientific community, Garneau has fostered new developments in Canadian technologies and has spoken out in support of another important role for Canada, this time in Moon and Mars exploration. His foresight and convincing leadership are focused on ensuring that Canadian scientists remain at the leading edge of research on our solar system and beyond.

Garneau has received many honours and awards. In August, 2003 he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada, Canada's highest honour. He was installed as the ninth Chancellor of Carleton University in 2003. His work with students is recognized: two high schools have been named after him; he is an Honorary Captain of the Royal Canadian Navy which promotes Sea Cadets; and No. 599 Royal Canadian Air Cadets Squadron is named in his honour.

Garneau is an Honorary Fellow of the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute (CASI), Member of the Association of Professional Engineers of Nova Scotia, and the Navy League of Canada. He was named Honorary Member of the Canadian Society of Aviation Medicine in 1988 and a Member of the International Academy of Astronautics in 2002. He is the National Honorary Patron of Hope Air and Project North Star and the Past-President of the Board of the McGill Chamber Orchestra.

He has been awarded many Honorary Doctorate degrees, and special recognitions from NASA for his exceptional service. He was inducted into the Quebec Air and Space Hall of Fame in 2001, and among his long list of awards is the Prix Montfort en sciences which he received in 2003. Marc Garneau is indeed a person of the world. If one simply types his name into the famous 'Google' search engine, the system responds with more than 13,000 items!

It was Marc Garneau who made the space program real for millions of Canadians. Since his first space mission, Dr. Garneau has made thousands of presentations and hundreds of media appearances across Canada and abroad as Canada's ambassador for space exploration. He is an articulate, passionate promoter of science and the space program, and strongly believe that Canada needs to be a part of the new frontier. And, like others who have viewed beautiful Earth from space, he also has strong feelings about protecting its fragile environment.

Garneau resigned from the Canadian Space Agency in 2005. He responds to many requests for speaking engagements, and at the present time is a Member of Parliament for the riding of Westmount Ville-Marie, Quebec.

Marc Garneau was inducted as a Member of Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame at ceremonies held in Toronto on May 28, 2008.