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2 days ago
- Politics
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Former astronaut, federal minister Marc Garneau dies at 76
OTTAWA — Marc Garneau, the first Canadian in space who went on to become a high-profile federal politician, has died at 76 years old. MPs rose for a moment of silence in the House of Commons Wednesday evening to honour Garneau. He was an author and a pioneer in Canada's space program, serving as president of the Canadian Space Agency. In 1984, Garneau made history when he became the first Canadian to fly in space on shuttle mission STS-41G. The Canadian Space Agency website says Garneau conducted 10 Canadian experiments on space technology, space science and life sciences during the eight-day mission. Garneau made two other trips to space, on missions STS-77 and STS-97. Garneau later entered politics and was a Liberal member of Parliament representing a Montreal-area riding between 2008 and 2023. He held many cabinet positions in Justin Trudeau's government, including minister of foreign affairs and minister of transport. A statement from Garneau's wife, Pam Garneau, says he was sick near the end of his life but died peacefully. "Marc faced his final days with the same strength, clarity and grace that defined his life," she said. "We are especially grateful to the medical team who provided such dedicated and compassionate care during his short illness." Garneau was born in Quebec City and earned a bachelor of science degree in engineering physics at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ont. Several politicians and notable Canadians paid tribute to Garneau on social media. Former prime minister Justin Trudeau said it was with "much sadness" that he had learned about Garneau's passing. "I first met Marc as a schoolboy in the early 1980s," Trudeau said. "I was in awe of his service and his courage then, and continued to be as I had the privilege to serve alongside him in Parliament and in government. Marc truly embodied and exemplified Canadian greatness throughout his whole life." Astronaut Chris Hadfield said Garneau was his role model, mentor, longtime friend and "a brave and exemplary Canadian for us all." Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said Garneau "exceeded every expectation." "Canada has lost an exceptional person — not just an astronaut, but a true model of service and selflessness," Champagne said. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said Garneau was "not only a remarkable Canadian and devoted public servant, but also a dear friend." Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said she was "heartbroken" to learn about Garneau's death. "Marc was a man of deep integrity, humility and quiet strength," she said. "A trailblazer, a mentor and a true statesman, he dedicated his life to serving Canada — with dignity, brilliance and grace." Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Garneau was a "great Canadian" and was "a trailblazer and proud to serve the country he loved." Garneau said in a recent interview with The Canadian Press that his three flights changed the way he saw Earth. "When you see that thin atmosphere and realize we're filling it with greenhouse gases and pollutants ...when you see these things, you realize, 'What are we doing?'" he said in 2024. "If we don't take care of this planet, there is nowhere else to go." Garneau said that, after flying in space, life was "not as intimidating." "It gave me a sense of confidence and it gave me confidence to move forward in life instead of playing it safe," he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 4, 2025. Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
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'The Dream is [still] Alive': First IMAX film shot in space at 40 years
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. James Neihouse had one more thing to share. From inside a tote bag, he pulled out a chrome frame displaying 11 strips of tape, each of which had printed text and handwritten notes. These were labels removed from film cans, the award-winning cinematographer explained. But not just from any film — these were the 41-year-old labels from the third space shuttle mission to carry an IMAX camera into Earth orbit. The rolls were used in the making of the first movie to include scenes shot in space, as first released four decades ago this June. "So this is from nine rolls of film on STS-41G. This is all astronaut handwriting on this," said Neihouse at the end of a panel discussion celebrating the upcoming 40th anniversary of "The Dream is Alive" at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in northern Virginia on Wednesday (April 9). The 37-minute documentary about NASA's space shuttle program includes footage shot by the astronauts showing how they live and work in orbit, including the capture and repair of the Solar Max satellite and deployment of an experimental solar array. Veteran journalist and TV news anchor Walter Cronkite narrated the film. "I've hung on to this for about 40 years," said Neihouse, referring back to the framed tape strips. "I'm giving it to the Smithsonian, hopefully to go with the IMAX camera that they already have." Related: NASA's space shuttle: The first reusable spacecraft The National Air and Space Museum's connection to "The Dream is Alive" extends beyond the related artifacts in the national collection. The original idea for shooting a giant screen film in space began with a conversation between the museum's first director, an Apollo 11 astronaut, and the co-inventor of the IMAX film format, a Canadian filmmaker. "One of the things about the film that most people probably don't know is that it's a direct result of a suggestion to Graeme Ferguson from Michael Collins after the National Air and Space Museum opened in 1976," Neihouse told in an interview prior to the panel discussion, which was organized by the National Air and Space Society for its members. "Collins suggested to Graham to see about flying an IMAX camera on board the space shuttle." "And Graeme said, 'That sounds like a really great idea — what's a space shuttle?'" Neihouse said with a laugh as he imitated Ferguson's Canadian accent. It was also Collins' idea for the museum to have an IMAX theater, and it became only the sixth such theater to open in the United States. From there, it led to the Smithsonian becoming directly involved in the production of "The Dream is Alive," as well as the two shot-in-space IMAX movies that followed it ("Blue Planet" in 1990 and "Destiny in Space" in 1994). "Collins saw the effect that IMAX films had on our visitors, and he realized that a film made in space would amplify the storytelling about astronaut life there," said the panel's moderator, Jennifer Levasseur, who as a curator in the space history division of the National Air and Space Museum oversees the museum's collection of cameras used in space. "He and others lobbied for such a film, and with Lockheed financing it, NASA couldn't resist." "These films weren't developed as promotional materials for NASA, but really as a means for everyone involved in the space program to communicate, educate and inspire," said Levasseur. Related: James Webb Space Telescope stars in breathtaking new IMAX documentary "The Dream is Alive" was described as the closest that the public could come to experiencing spaceflight without leaving the planet. "Those of us who have filmed IMAX in space and who have flown in space have always said that, and it's not just to repeat the sound bite, it's actually true," said Marsha Ivins, a former NASA astronaut who flew into space five times and holds the record for taking part in the most IMAX space films (at three) and advised on the production of others. Selected as an astronaut in 1984, Ivins was filmed for "The Dream is Alive" during her and her classmates' water survival training at Homestead Air Force Base (today, Air Reserve Base) in Florida, but her scenes did not make it into the movie. "So they tossed me off the back of a boat, and I'm trying not to drown, and while I'm trying not to drown and remember all the things they told me to do to not drown, here comes this boat right alongside with the film crew," said Ivins. "And while I was not drowning, I did have the presence of mind to express myself with a hand gesture." "And at the end of it, [associate producer] Phyllis Ferguson comes to me and says, 'We really wanted to put you in the movie, but everything we shot of you was either pathetic or obscene' — and a great relationship with IMAX was born that lasted to this day," Ivins said with a smile. Related stories: — Photos: IMAX cameras in space — The best space movies of all time — NASA's space shuttles: Where are they now? Wednesday's event concluded with a rare screening of "The Dream is Alive." With the move to digital, high-resolution projectors, the 40-year-old film really needs to be rescanned, a project that Neihouse is now championing. "The parts of the [space-flown] film that made it into what you see on screen are conserved in climate-controlled storage in Los Angeles, as are all of our original space negatives," said Neihouse. "In theory, you could go back and pull any of that IMAX footage, scan it into whatever resolution your digital system is today and have a pristine digital version of the film." "A lot of the of the films that are extremely important, such as the space films, are being scanned. I know 'The Dreams is Alive' is, as that's something I'm heading up on the committee to work on that for the giant screen film industry," he said. Follow on Facebook and on X at @collectSPACE. Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
