Chris Hadfield has been the name on everyone’s lips for the last few months.
If you’re one of the very, very few who haven’t heard of him, Chris was stationed as commander of the International Space Station.
What was beyond the clouds was always a mystery to us, but Hadfield brought space to the world as he spent the few months tweeting amazing photographs of the Earth, making videos answering people’s questions about space (his one on what happens when you cry in space was a particular favourite!) and sharing unique photos of countries from angles never seen before.
Here are some of the shots he shared of Ireland:
We’ll miss Chris, and he knows this, but the space star wasn’t going out without one final spectacle.
Bringing pop culture to the space station, the Canadian gave us a rendition of Bowie’s Space Oddity in a breathtaking video.
The David Bowie Official Facebook page has shared the video, writing this:
It’s possibly the most poignant version of the song ever created and you may recognise the name of one of those involved in its creation.
We’re talking about Chris’s fellow Canadian, the lovely Emm Gryner, who was a part of the Bowie live band in 1999/2000. Here’s what she said on her blog regarding her involvement:
“The task was in front of me. I came up with a piano part. i then enlisted my friend, producer and fellow Canadian Joe Corcoran to take my piano idea and Chris’ vocal and blow it up into a fully produced song. Drums! mellotrons! fuzz bass! We also incorporated into the track ambient space station noises which Chris had put on his Soundcloud. I was mostly blown away by how pure and earnest Chris’ singing is on this track. Like weightlessness and his voice agreed to agree.
And voila! And astronaut sings Space Oddity in space!
I was so honoured to be asked to be a part of this. You wouldn’t get too many chances to make a recording like this and not only that, to make music with someone who – through his vibrant communications with kids in schools to his breathtaking photos to his always patient and good-humoured demeanour – has done more for science and space than anyone else this generation.
Planet earth IS blue, and there’s nothing left for Chris Hadfield to do. Right. Safe travels home Commander! ”
Hadfield has tweeted the video out to his Twitter followers:
And so the commander post has been handed over…
Thank you Chris!
PS. One Irish fan wanted to say something…
