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Dr. Roberta Bondar, 1st Canadian Woman in Space, Turns 80

In January 1992, Dr. Roberta Bondar, the first Canadian woman in space, flew aboard Discovery, and she marked her 80th birthday in 2025, reflecting on her mission.
Her 2024 book 'Space for Birds' uses space and surface perspectives to raise conservation awareness, and she co-founded a nonprofit in 2009 to promote environmental education, Bondar said.
Bondar cautioned that women face high pressure, saying `it always rests on the shoulders of a woman to do things exceptionally well`, and her astronaut status gave credibility during youth outreach in a Manitoba small community.
Early next year, Jeremy Hansen is slated for the Artemis II mission, while Bondar hopes Jenni Gibbons will fly within the next five years amid only two Canadian women flown in over 30 years.
She urged diversity in backgrounds on missions and advised youth to value curiosity, service and striving to be their best, while planning a second book on five North American birds with Canadian ties.

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