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Experiment/Payload OverviewThe Get Fit for Space Challenge with Bob Thirsk (Get Fit for Space) is a Canadian Space Agency (CSA) sponsored activity which invites Canadian citizens to celebrate the historic mission of Canada?s first Expedition along with crewmember Dr. Bob Thirsk, and to promote healthy living amongst Canadian citizens by tracking fitness data using a pedometer; allowing the citizens to interact with Canada?s space program via innovative multimedia.
Principal Investigator
Information Pending
Payload Developer
ParticipACTION, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Canadian Space Agency, Saint-Hubert, Quebec, Canada
Canadian Space Agency (CSA)
Sponsoring Organization:Information Pending
ISS Expedition Duration:March 2009 - March 2010
19/20, 21/22
Previous ISS MissionsExpedition 19/20 was the first time ?Get Fit for Space? was performed on-orbit.
To celebrate Canada's first Expedition mission, the Canadian Space Agency challenged their citizens to ?Get Fit for Space with Bob Thirsk,? the first Canadian to launch to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a Soyuz spacecraft. Canadian citizens were provided the opportunity to engage in activities such as running, walking, cycling and swimming, as they prepared to blast off and reach new fitness heights along with Canada's space program!
Participants would sign up for the challenge on the Canadian Space Agency?s website, and receive a ?Get Fit for Space? pedometer given away to the first 10 000 people to enroll in the program. Participants would enter their fitness data on CSA?s web site as they ?virtually? traveled the 340 km to the ISS. ParticipACTION?s role was to provide content for the website and other promotional materials, donate pedometers and provide support with the development and distribution of the PSAs supporting the program.
Dr. Thirsk virtually met the participants at the Airlock, invited them in, and provided a personal tour of his off-world home. Over the course of the long-duration mission, participants were allowed to interact with Dr. Thirsk through photos, live weekly mission downlinks, media events, podcasts, in-flight illustrations and other innovative multimedia. In addition, Dr. Thirsk delivered a "Get Fit for Space" challenge to the nation and broadcasted a personal message to the Canadian public from the ISS on special occasions.
While Expeditions 19/20 and 21/22 took place on the ISS, it was supported by many people on the ground. This historic mission was of importance and relevance to all Canadians. As Dr. Thirsk executed his mission on the ISS, Canadian citizens were given the opportunity to become more involved in Canada's space program.
Get Fit for Space allowed crewmember, Bob Thirsk, to introduce the next generation of explorers to the space environment.
Earth ApplicationsFrom an educational perspective, space exploration missions both inspire students, young and old, and motivate them to choose advanced studies and careers in the sciences and engineering. Participants were given the opportunity to directly contribute to Canada's space program, while enhancing their own studies and career prospects.
The ?Get Fit for Space? challenge required registration and the use of pedometers to record the number of steps taken by the participants. Audio and video capabilities were required to exchange various multimedia activities.
Operational ProtocolsCanadian citizens had to sign up for the ?Get Fit for Space? challenge via CSA?s website. This gave them access to a pedometer, which was utilized to count their steps. Participants could also interact with Dr. Thirsk through photos, live weekly mission downlinks and other innovative multimedia.
25,000 participants enrolled