Canada In Space
Canada has a rich history in space exploration. From 1839 when Sir Edward Sabine established the first magnetic observatory at the University of Toronto to study the northern lights; to producing the landing gear used on the Eagle for the first landing on the moon in 1969; to the development of the Canadarm which was used on the Space Shuttle orbiters to deploy, manoeuvre and capture payloads; and, in looking forward to a Canadian rover landing on the moon within the next five years.
Michael McKay
Michael McKay was born in 1963 in Bracebridge, Ontario.
He was selected in the initial round of four Canadian astronauts in 1992 and worked as an engineer payload specialist on ground, but did not eventually fly into space.
He worked on the Advanced Space Vision system and the robotic arms for the International Space Station, nicknamed Canadarm. The first Space Shuttle mission to include his work was the Space Vision System support to the Wake Shield Facility, a free flying payload that was released from Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-60.
He resigned from the Astronaut Corps in 1995 for medical reasons, but remained in the employment of CAP as an engineer.
In 1997 he left the Canadian space Agency to return to active military service.