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From Beauvallon and Beyond
From Beauvallon and Beyond for Astronaut Joshua Kutryk
Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser
Former Beauvallon area resident Joshua Kutryk will be the next Canadian astronaut to fly to the International Space Station.
Kutryk has been assigned to a six-month mission that will launch no earlier than the beginning of 2025. He’s scheduled to get to the International Space Station aboard the Starliner 1, a new space vehicle built by Boeing.
That news was delivered during a special announcement by Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry at the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) headquarters near Montreal on Nov. 22. Champagne also stated that Jenni Gibbons had been assigned as the backup astronaut for the Artemis II mission to the moon in 2024.
Following the announcement, Kutryk shared his thoughts with reporters. Kutryk said, “Starliner is just being developed. It hasn’t flown with people on it yet. This operation will be the first long duration six-month expedition for that vehicle. For me, personally as I have said, I come from a testing background, that’s wonderful for me. I like working with that, but it’s also a really good spot for us to be as a country.
Of course, any mission for Canada is exciting. This is a long duration mission that will be focused on science, and testing new technologies. It’s also a little bit focused on the vehicle. This is the first time Canada flies with NASA’s commercial fleet program.
I would say that I am very proud that Canada has these kinds of opportunities available to it and grateful for the opportunity myself to play a role here…We are again, right where we want to be and that is to say we’re on the leading edge of developing new technologies with NASA, doing new things, building, designing and testing new vehicles that’s where we want to be.”
Even though he is from a military background and has been on different missions overseas, Kutryk acknowledged that one of the hardest things will be having to say good bye to his family when the time comes. Joshua lives in Houston, Texas with his wife Heather and their two small children.
Both Joshua and his brother Matthew are test and fighter pilots. Joshua is also an engineer and colonel in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Their two sisters Natasha and Laura-Anne Kutryk are veterinarians. Their late father Barry grew up on Kutryk homestead and went on to become an RCMP officer. While living in Whitehorse, Yukon, Barry and his wife Kathy signed Joshua and Matthew up with Cadets before moving back to the farm near Beauvallon.
Joshua and Matthew then joined the 341 Mundare Air Cadet Squadron. “They both loved it. The Cadet program is a wonderful program,” said Kathy.
Former Air Cadet Commanding Officer Chuck St. Clair said, “I’m proud of my two cadets and what they’ve accomplished.” St. Clair said he was visiting a friend the other day and watched the news clip of the CSA announcement.
St. Clair said he took several cadets for airplane rides when he was the commanding officer. “I did it for any cadet that received a scholarship. When they told me that I gave him, (Joshua) his first airplane ride I had to look it up in my log book to see!”
St. Clair served in the Canadian Armed Forces from 1952 to 1972 as an avionics technician. After that he moved to a farm north of Ranfurly. “I ended up getting my pilots license after I got out of the air force. There was a flying school going on in Vegreville at the time. So, while I was visiting them one time, the instructor basically talked me into taking flying lessons. So, ironic as heck you know. But anyways, that’s how it turned out. So, I ended up with my own private pilot’s license.”
Every once in a while, he can hear jets flying over the farm. “So, I know it’s one of those guys, (Joshua or Matthew). The last time one of them “buzzed the farm” was about a month ago. St. Clair explained that they have training routes they stick to and he’s always glad to hear them whizzing by. “It’s pretty good to know they haven’t forgotten me.”
RCL Branch No. 39 President Terry Kuzyk said, “The Vegreville Legion has been the primary sponsor for the 341 Mundare Air Cadet Squadron for almost 40 years. The Squadron will be celebrating 80 years of existence this year.
In the ten years that I have been involved with the Branch we have had a strong relationship with the Squadron. Not only do we support them financially but we involve them in many of our activities on an ongoing basis.
Over the years we have seen a number of their Cadets go on to have careers in the aviation industry and moved on to serve in the Air Force. Recently, the Squadron had to leave their facility in Mundare and we were happy to have them come to make our Legion Branch their home. Remembrance Day and Decoration Day would not be the same without the presence of the Cadets.”
