(Canadian Space Agency photo, used by permission.)

Ms. Julie Payette
Astronaut,
Canadian Space Agency

Mission STS-96 to the
International Space Station:
Building the Future.

On May 27, 1999, Space Shuttle Discovery was launched on a 10-day logistics and resupply mission to the International Space Station. Having been part of the multi-national crew of STS-96, Ms. Payette -- the first Canadian to participate in an Station assembly mission and to board the International Space Station -- will use her first-hand experience to take us on a tour of the embryonic Space Station and describe this extraordinarily complex and challenging project.
 
 

Selected as a member of the Canadian Astronaut Corps in 1992, Ms. Payette reported to the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas in August 1996 to begin mission specialist training. After completing a year of training and evaluation, she was assigned to work technical issues for the Astronaut Office EVA/Robotics branch. Ms. Payette completed the Mission Specialist training in April 1998. Her first space flight was completed last year as part of the crew of STS-96.

Ms. Julie Payette was born October 20, 1963, in Montreal, Quebec. She completed primary and secondary school in Montreal, Quebec. She received an International Baccalaureate (1982) at the United World International College of the Atlantic in South Wales, UK, a Bachelor of Engineering (1986) from McGill University, Montreal and a Master of Applied Science (1990) from the University of Toronto. She received one of six Canadian scholarships to attend the International UWC of the Atlantic in South Wales, UK (1980), a Greville-Smith Scholarship (1982-1986), highest undergraduate award at McGill University, and a McGill Faculty Scholar (1983-1986). She graduated with distinction in 1986. She also received a NSERC post-graduate Scholarship (1988-1990) and a Massey College Fellowship (1988-1990). In November 1994, the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers awarded her its 1994 distinction for exceptional achievement by a young engineer.

Ms. Payette enjoys running, skiing, racquet sports and scuba diving. She holds a multi-engine commercial pilot license with instrument and float ratings. Ms. Payette plays piano and has sung with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra Chamber Choir, the Piacere Vocale in Basel, Switzerland, and with the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra Choir in Toronto, Canada. She is fluent in French and English, and conversational in Spanish, Italian and Russian.