Age has no limits — in space

23-Jul-2008

Following up on the Canadian Space Agency's recruitment campaign for Canada's next generation of space explorers (Recruiter, Smalltalk, 16 April), more than 5,000 people with dreams of boldly going where not many have gone before have applied for the chance to become one of Canada's next two astronauts. The list will be whittled down to a final group of about 15 candidates next April.

And despite the current furore in the UK about working age limits, it seems the more mature would-be astronaut is not at all fazed by the prospect of a rigorous medical and selection process.

Stephane Corbin, manager of the space agency's recruitment campaign, says the average age of the candidates is 32. "But we had a few in their late 60s, with maybe two or three who met the criteria," he told The Canadian Press, adding that there was no age limit.

There were height and weight restrictions, however, so not quite full marks on diversity for the Space Agency. Although quite how a 7ft 4in person the size of Giant Haystacks would slot in with fellow astronauts is not easy to imagine…