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| David Saint-Jacques | |
|---|---|
| Name | David Saint-Jacques |
| Birth date | November 6, 1970 |
| Birth place | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Occupation | Astronaut, Engineer, Astrophysicist, Physician |
| Alma mater | McGill University, University of Cambridge, Université Laval |
| Employer | Canadian Space Agency |
David Saint-Jacques is a Canadian astronaut, engineer, astrophysicist, and physician who served as a flight engineer on International Space Station Expeditions 58 and 59. He trained with the Canadian Space Agency and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration before launching aboard Soyuz MS-11, conducting research and outreach during his long-duration mission. His career spans service in the Canadian Forces, medical practice in northern Canada, and scientific research in astrophysics and planetary science.
Born in Montreal, Quebec, Saint-Jacques attended Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf and studied at McGill University where he earned degrees in engineering and medicine, interacting with communities linked to Université Laval and Université de Montréal through collaborative programs. He completed postgraduate training in family medicine and rural medicine with rotations that connected him to clinical sites associated with Institut de recherche en santé du Canada and northern healthcare initiatives referencing Nunavik and Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. He pursued graduate studies in astrophysics at the University of Cambridge and completed doctoral research that connected him with researchers from European Space Agency collaborations and academic networks tied to Imperial College London and Max Planck Society institutions.
Saint-Jacques served as an officer in the Canadian Forces and trained in aviation and operations linked to institutions such as Canadian Forces Base Bagotville and training programs associated with Royal Canadian Air Force units and NATO exercises alongside personnel from United States Air Force and Royal Air Force. His astrophysics research involved work at observatories and research centers that collaborate with Space Telescope Science Institute, National Research Council Canada, and international consortia including European Southern Observatory and Canadian Space Agency science divisions. He contributed to planetary science and astronomy projects that interface with missions like Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Cassini–Huygens, and instrumental collaborations informing James Webb Space Telescope science teams.
Selected by the Canadian Space Agency during a competitive recruitment round that attracted applicants from across Canada and affiliations with universities including Queen's University and University of Toronto, Saint-Jacques entered astronaut training programs involving coordination with NASA Johnson Space Center, Roscosmos flight surgeons, and international partners such as JAXA and European Space Agency. Training encompassed Soyuz systems instruction at Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, extravehicular activity preparation with lessons from ESA Astronaut Centre and underwater simulations at NASA Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, plus robotics training related to systems like Canadarm2 and collaboration with teams at MDA Corporation. His regimen integrated language studies, mission planning alongside personnel from Roscosmos and NASA Flight Operations Directorate, and survival training connected to agencies including Canadian Armed Forces Search and Rescue.
Saint-Jacques launched to the International Space Station aboard Soyuz MS-11 and served as a flight engineer during Expedition 58 and Expedition 59, working with crewmates from Roscosmos and NASA, and engaging in operations coordinated by Mission Control Center Moscow and Mission Control Center Houston. On station he operated payloads from partners such as European Space Agency, JAXA, and CSA while conducting experiments tied to instrumentation developed with contributors like National Aeronautics and Space Administration research centers and university collaborators including McGill University and Université Laval. His mission activities included technology demonstrations, life sciences experiments with links to Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and Earth observation tasks that integrated datasets used by agencies such as Environment and Climate Change Canada and Natural Resources Canada.
During his tenure on the station, Saint-Jacques performed research in microgravity on experiments related to human physiology, fluid physics, and materials science in partnership with labs including Boston University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and University of California, Berkeley, and utilized facilities such as the Microgravity Science Glovebox and the Columbus laboratory. He participated in extravehicular activity preparations and operations coordinated with NASA Extravehicular Activity Office and suit support teams, contributing to station maintenance tasks that required interfaces with robotic assets like Canadarm2 and international logistics managed via ISS Progress and HTV resupply missions. His scientific outputs informed research communities connected to American Physiological Society and planetary science groups collaborating with NASA Ames Research Center.
Saint-Jacques received recognition from institutions such as the Canadian Space Agency and military honors associated with the Canadian Forces for service and contributions to spaceflight, and was cited in lists and media from organizations including Science, Nature, and national outlets like CBC and The Globe and Mail. Academic acknowledgments linked him to alumni honors at McGill University and collaborative commendations from research partners such as National Research Council Canada and international space agencies including European Space Agency.
Fluent in French and English, Saint-Jacques has participated in public outreach with organizations including Let’s Talk Science, Royal Canadian Geographical Society, and educational programs at institutions like McGill University and Université Laval, engaging audiences through talks connected to museums such as the Canadian Museum of History and broadcasting segments on CBC Television and collaborations with science communicators from Nature and Scientific American. He has supported initiatives for northern communities and medical outreach linked to Nunavut health services and has been involved in advocacy with groups like Canadian Space Commerce Association and youth programs such as FIRST Robotics Competition and Scouts Canada.
Category:Canadian astronauts Category:McGill University alumni Category:People from Montreal