Referred to as “the most famous astronaut since Neil Armstrong,” Colonel Chris Hadfield is a worldwide sensation whose video of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” – seen by over 75 million people — was called “possibly the most poignant version of the song ever created”, by Bowie himself. Acclaimed for making outer space accessible to millions, and for infusing a sense of wonder into our collective consciousness not felt since humanity first walked on the Moon, Colonel Hadfield continues to bring the marvels of science and space travel to everyone he encounters. 

Hadfield has flown three space missions, built two space stations, performed two spacewalks, crewed the Shuttle and Soyuz, and in 2013 named the commander of the International Space Station for six months off planet. 

Formerly NASA’s director of operations, Hadfield is a heavily decorated astronaut, engineer, and pilot whose many awards include the Order of Canada, the Meritorious Service Cross, and the NASA Exceptional Service Medal. He was named the Top Test Pilot in both the US Air Force and the US Navy, and was inducted into Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame.

An internationally bestselling author, Hadfield has written three books: An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth, You Are Here; his children’s book, The Darkest Dark and the critically acclaimed The Apollo Murders — a thriller set in space and his first fiction novel. Hadfield also released a musical album, Space Sessions: Songs From a Tin Can, and is featured on Ted.com for his talk, “What I Learned from Going Blind in Space”, which has been viewed more than 11 million times. 

Hadfield is the co-creator and host of the internationally acclaimed BBC series Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes?, as well as the co-host, with actor Will Smith, of National Geographic’s One Strange Rock, directed by Darren Aronofsky. He also produces the celebrated Rare Earth series on YouTube and is the creator of the on-stage celebration Generator, which combines science, comedy, and music. 

Additionally, Hadfield is an adjunct professor at the University of Waterloo and with Masterclass online, an adviser to SpaceX and Virgin Galactic, and chair of the board of the Open Lunar Foundation.