THUNDER BAY – A doctor who's practised out of both Marathon and Kenora, Ont. is one step closer to becoming an astronaut.
Jesse Zroback was one of 17 candidates who made the cut, vying for one of two spots to become Canada's next person in space.
Originally from Richmond, Va., but raised in Kenora, the family physician and assistant professor at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine said he’s always wanted to become an astronaut.
“As a kid, I looked at the night sky in admiration of the moon and of humankind's accomplishment for having explored its surface,” he says in his bio on the CSA website, where he lists The Martian as his favourite science-fiction movie.
“Discovery through exploration and adventure is a passion of mine. It would be extremely rewarding to push myself to my highest potential through the skills development and variety of rigorous challenges of astronaut training.
The possibility of being an astronaut also brings together my enthusiasm for science, health, and fitness. It would be an honour to share the adventure with our country's youth to help create a better future for Canada and our planet Earth."
The CSA in February cut its list of potential astronauts to 72. Thunder Bay’s Frances Hane was on the original list, but did not make the cut this time around.
In an interview from Toronto with Dougall Media on Tuesday, Zroback said the screening process he's gone through has been very intensive, with the aim of assessing the candidates' performance under stress.
He described making the short list as "a phenomenal feeling."
Zroback said if he eventually makes the final cut, he feels his work as a family doctor in northern Ontario, working with limited resources, will be a benefit when it comes to working in outer space.
He said the Canadian Space Agency will announce the final selections this summer. The two winning candidates will then be sent to astronaut school for two years.
According to Zroback, his 16 fellow candidates are all "fantastic" people, and any of them would make an excellent astronaut.
