Biography - Chris Hadfield

Who is Chris Hadfield?

Chris Hadfield is a Canadian retired astronaut, engineer, author, and former Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot. The first Canadian to walk in space has flown on space shuttle missions and served as commander of the International Space Station. 

Chris Hadfield – Age, Parents, Siblings

Chris Hadfield was born on August 29, 1959, in Southern Ontario, Canada to his mother Eleanor Hadfield, and his father Roger Hadfield. His full name is Chris Austin Hadfield and his parents raised him alongside a sibling- brother Dave Hadfield.

Hadfield was inspired by the Apollo 11 Moon landing on TV. He earned a glider pilot license from the Royal Canadian Air Cadets at age 15. 

Education, Ethnicity

He graduated from Milton District High School in 1977, joined Royal Military College, and earned an engineering degree. Later Hadfield obtained a master's degree in aviation systems at the University of Tennesse Space Institute.

His ethnicity includes Scottish and English.

Chris Hadfield – Girlfriend, Wife, Children, Divorce

He married his high school sweetheart Helene on Dec. 23, 1981. And together with his wife, he has 3 children - Kyle Hadfield, Evan Hadfield, and Kristin Hadfield.

There are no rumors of divorce surrounding the married pair.

Chris Hadfield – Career

Astronaut

In 1992 he was accepted for the Canadian astronaut program by the Canadian Space Agency.  His first journey to space was in STS-74 in November 1995. Later he served as Mission Specialist on STS-100, International Space Station (ISS) where he walked into space.  

He also went for Expedition 35 in the Soyuz TMA-07M on ISS and later went for Expedition 34 as a commander where he helped to perform dozens of scientific experiments. He retired after 35 years of service as a military pilot and an astronaut. 

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Songs

During Expedition 35, Hadfield recorded a song for an album Jewel in the Night with Larrivée Parlor guitar which was the first song recorded in space and was later released via Youtube on Christmas Eve 2012. 

He sang Is Somebody Singing, Canada Song, and Space Oddity. He has released an album too- Space Sessions: Songs From a Tin Can. Hadfield holds the Guinness world record title for the first music video recorded in space.

Books

Hadfield published his autobiography An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth: What Going to Space Taught Me About Ingenuity, Determination, and Being Prepared for Anything in 2013. The book went on to become one of the best-selling books in Canada.

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Chris Hadfield – Awards, Nominations

Chris Hadfield received numerous awards like the Order of Ontario in 1996, Vanier Award in 2001, NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 2002, the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012, and Order of Canada in 2014.

Chris Hadfield – Net Worth, Salary

The net worth and annual salary of Hadfield are under review.

Chris Hadfield – Instagram, Twitter, Facebook

Chris Hadfield is popular on social media like Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. Forbes described him as the most social media-savvy astronaut to leave the Earth.

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