MONTREAL — Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques has told a group of high-school students their generation could be visiting Mars in the next 25 years.
Saint-Jacques held a question-and-answer session by videoconference with four Quebec schools today.
From Moscow, the 48-year-old astronaut discussed work-life balance, his physical fitness regime and how he'll feel as he leaves Earth to travel to the International Space Station in November.
At one point, he told the 400 students that one of his goals is not to make any mistakes during his six-month mission.
He also said the first people who will land on Mars in the coming decades are likely around their age at the moment.
Saint-Jacques, who was trained as both an engineer and a doctor, will be the first Canadian aboard the space station since Chris Hadfield spent five months on it in 2012 and 2013.
