Ex-astronaut Thirsk to help define Canada’s place in Mars mission
OTTAWA — The Canadian Space Agency says it wants to hire former astronaut Robert Thirsk to help it figure out how to contribute medical expertise to a human mission to Mars.
Thirsk is a medical doctor who holds the Canadian record for time spent in space, thanks to an extended mission on the International Space Station in 2009. Those are two of the qualifications the space agency considers essential for the $94,500 contract it made public Friday, saying Thirsk is the only person on Earth who fits the bill.
“As such, Dr. Thirsk is uniquely positioned to provide the CSA with the perspective of a crewmember and medical officer with regards to health and performance requirements during long-duration flights, as well as the associated capabilities to meet these requirements,” the space agency said in a public posting Friday.