A Monumental Milestone. A Canadian Hero.
October 5, 1984. 7:03:00 a.m. EDT. Blast off. Space Shuttle Challenger lifts off, carrying Marc Garneau, the first Canadian to travel into space. One of the seven crew members of Mission STS-41-G, Garneau conducted multiple Canadian-designed experiments as a payload specialist. After 8 days + 5 hours, orbiting Earth 133 times, the astronaut came back to Earth a Canadian hero. He would later set out on two more space flights: STS-77 in 1996 and STS-97 in 2000.
The 2019 tri-metallic 25-cent coin honours the 35th anniversary of Marc Garneau's incredible achievement with a Mint first: a ground-breaking design featuring cutting-edge technology. This must-have collector’s coin proudly commemorates an iconic piece of Canadian history while celebrating all innovative Canadians.
The Design:
The reverse features a central core image of Challenger superimposed over Earth. The realistic design of the space shuttle is surrounded by concentric circles representing different sections of Earth's atmosphere. The inner core represents the troposphere where the shuttle launched, the inner ring is the thermosphere where the shuttle orbited, and the outer ring is outer space. The 35 maple leaves which adorn the outer ring represent the commemorated 35 years, also identified with the "1984–2019" as printed on the coin along with "CANADA." The obverse features the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by Susanna Blunt, also surrounded by 35 maple leaves.
The Astronaut: Marc Garneau, first Canadian in space:
"October 5, 1984. I remember it as if it were yesterday. What an exhilarating and humbling moment! Witnessing Earth from space, one understands how infinitely small we are and yet, how capable we are of immense innovations. I remain forever grateful to have been selected for this historic flight. This homage is a true honour and a splendid token to share an unforgettable moment with my fellow Canadians."
