China rocket makes space history

MONTREAL — For the first time in the history of the International Space Station, a Canadian will take charge of the giant orbiting space lab. The transfer of command to space veteran Chris Hadfield will be marked Wednesday by the simple ringing of a ceremonial bell. He is almost three months into his five-month space visit.

MONTREAL — The Queen and Prime Minister Stephen Harper have sent out congratulations to Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield who is now commander of the International Space Station. It’s the first time in the history of the space station that a Canadian has assumed control of the giant orbiting space laboratory. A small change-of-command ceremony that included the playing of “O Canada” took place on Wednesday as the other five astronauts on board gathered around Hadfield.

A spokesperson for China's manned space program said the manned Shenzhou-X spacecraft will be launched between June and August and dock with the orbiting Tiangong-1 space module.

Tomorrow I'm lucky enough to be getting the chance to spend the day at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C. for a NASA social event. During my day there, I will get the chance to ask questions of NASA astronaut Don Petit.

Astronaut Chris Hadfield returned to Earth Monday night after a five-month mission at the International Space Station that saw him become the first Canadian to command the orbiting laboratory. The 53-year-old touched down in Kazakhstan on a Russian Soyuz capsule which was also carrying Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko and NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn — the same pair Hadfield blasted off with on Dec. 19, 2012.

MONTREAL — After tonight, astronaut Chris Hadfield might become a more typical social-media user and start posting pictures of mundane subjects — like food. The Canadian space veteran is scheduled to return to Earth this evening after a five-month stay on the International Space Station. The astronaut best known for having shared stunning pictures from space says what he’s really looking forward to now is the aroma of a rich cup of coffee, and other such delights.

There was a surreal moment in outer space Thursday morning, as the man who played Captain James T. Kirk chatted with a real-life astronaut aboard the International Space Station. William Shatner, the Canadian-born actor of Star Trek fame, spoke for a few minutes with Chris Hadfield, who is on a five-month space voyage. The actor asked serious questions about the Canadian astronaut’s hopes for space travel, as well as his fears, and the emotions he felt as he stared out from beyond Earth. They also exchanged a few jokes.

China's Shenzhou-9 spacecraft successfully docked with the orbiting Tiangong-1 space laboratory on Monday, completing the next step in the country's ambitious space mission.