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Canadian Space Agency

Press Release
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Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Bob Thirsk in Montreal for One Day
only to Kick-off 2-year Canada-wide Space Education Project

MONTREAL, December 2, 2002 - When the first manned spaceship leaves
Earth for Mars the astronauts may be growing and eating Canadian
tomatoes in space. In preparation for that voyage, Canadian Astronaut
Dr. Bob Thirsk will be in Montreal on December 4 to give a briefing to 
students about "Mission to Mars," a cross-Canada research/ education 
project. 

Doctor Thirsk will be available for interviews before and after his
speaking engagements.  Reporters are welcome to cover his appearances. 
Dr. Mike Dixon, who is coordinating the seeds research project at the 
University of Guelph, will also be available for interviews.

WHO:   Dr. Bob Thirsk - Canadian Space Agency Astronaut
       Dr. Mike Dixon, Associate Professor and Head of the
         Horticultural Science Division, University of Guelph

WHAT: Dr. Bob Thirsk and Dr. Mike Dixon will talk to some 500
      grade 5 and 6 students about space farming on the red planet.
      They will encourage the students to participate in a
      research program called Tomatosphere, "Mission to Mars"
      in which children from 5,000 classes across Canada will
      engage in hands-on experimentation with tomato seeds
      exposed to a simulated Martian environment. 

WHEN: Wednesday, December 4, 2002
		
WHERE: 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. (in English)
             Beaconsfield High School
             250 Beaurepaire Drive
             Beaconsfield
             1:30 to 2:30 p.m. (in French)
             Canadian Space Agency
             6767 route de l'Aéroport
             Saint-Hubert

Tomatosphere "Mission to Mars" is a national educational outreach
program sponsored by the Canadian Space Agency, Agriculture and
Agri-Food Canada, Heinz Canada, the Centre for Research in Earth and
Space Technology (CRESTech), and the University of Guelph.

For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact:

Monique Billette
Senior Media Relations Officer
Canadian Space Agency
Phone:	450-926-4370
E-mail: monique.billette{at}space.gc.ca

Orli Namian
GPC International
Phone: 514-282-2043 ext. 131

Maria L. Martinez
Département des Communications/Relations publiques et médias
Communications Department/Public and Media Relations
Tél: (514) 926-4355  Télécopieur: (514) 926-4352
Phone: (514) 926-4355  Fax: (514) 926-4352

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