Julie Payette is the second Canadian woman to have flown in space. She is an incredible woman of many talents. Not only is she an astronaut, but Julie is an accomplished musician who has sung with the Montreal Symphonic Orchestra Chamber Choir. She speaks Russian, German, Italian and Spanish as well as being fluent in English and French. This cool Canadian also has a commercial pilot license and approximately 450 hours of flight time on jet aircraft.

Julie Payette was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec. After becoming an electrical and computer engineer and gaining work experience in various locations (including the IBM Research Laboratory in Zurich, Switzerland), Ms. Payette was selected in 1992 by the Canadian Space Agency to become an astronaut. Following in intensive training program she flew on the Space Shuttle Discovery in the spring of 1999. During the flight Julie Payette became the first Canadian astronaut to visit the Space Station and she operated the Canadarm robotic arm. She travelled about four million miles during her historic flight, before returning to earth and becoming Chief Astronaut for the Canadian Space Agency.

Ms. Payette currently works in Houston, Texas as a CAPCOM (Spacecraft Communicator) for the Mission Control Centre, NASA. She was a crew member for the STS-127, ISS Assembly Mission 2J/A, and blasted off to the International Space Station on July 15, 2009. Payette returned from a successful mission on July 31.

Julie is married with two sons.

• Article - In Space by Julie Payette
• Astronaut Bio: Julie Payette
  Biography from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
• Astronauts Gear Up for Space Construction Marathon
  Article from SPACE.com on June 8, 2009 re the Endeavour's STS-127 mission.
• Canadian Space Agency: Julie Payette
  Biography from the Canadian Space Agency.
• Canadian Space Agency - STS-96: Canadian Patch
• Canadian Space Agency - STS-96: Daily Reports
• Canadian Space Agency - STS-96: Julie's Flight Journal
• Canadian Space Agency - STS-96: Julie's Music List
• Canadian Space Agency - STS-96: Julie's Responsibilities
• Canadian Space Agency - STS-96: Julie's Official Flying Kit
• Canadian Space Agency - STS-96: Julie's Training
• Celebrating Women's Achievements - Women in Science - Julie Payette
  Biography from Library and Archives Canada.
• Inventive Women - Julie Payette
  From the site Inventive Women, a note on Julie Payette's contribution to the International Space Station.
• STS-96 Mission Page
  NASA information from Space Shuttle Mission STS-96, which included Canadian astronaut Julie Payette.

Films/Video/Television:

• CSA - Interview with Julie Payette
  Includes the printed text of an interview with the astronaut as well as video clips. From the Canadian Space Agency.
• Discovering Our Potential: Women in Engineering
  Streetwise Productions video, 1997. 27 min. Available from Moving Images Distribution. The film explores the non-traditional careers pursued by some interesting female engineers, including Canadian astronaut Julie Payette.
• The Sacred Balance
  Videorecording (DVD), produced by Kensington Communications and Sacred Balance Productions, Inc. Toronto, c. 2003. Features David Suzuki, and includes an interview with Julie Payette. Also a television series of the same name. More info
  
  Video clips from YouTube:
  
• Julie Payette Speaks at Simon Fraser University
• In Their Own Words: Canadian Astronaut Julie Payette
• Canadian Astronaut Julie Payette, speaking about plans for her return to the International Space Station in June 2009.
• Excerpt from The Sacred Balance, Julie Payette talking to David Suzuki.
• STS-127 Crew Arrives at Kennedy Space Centre, in preparation for launch on June 13, 2009. Julie Payette and other crew members speak to media.

Julie Payette
(NASA)