The Canadian Space Agency selected Jennifer Anne MacKinnon Sidey-Gibbons in 2017 as part of its fourth astronaut recruitment campaign, making her the third woman chosen for this role. At twenty-eight, she became the youngest candidate ever inducted into the program, eventually qualifying as a capsule communicator and supporting critical maintenance missions for the International Space Station.
Academic Foundation
Born in Calgary in 1988, Sidey-Gibbons pursued an extensive education in mechanical engineering. She graduated with honours from McGill University, where her studies included collaborative research with the National Research Council Canada concerning flame propagation in microgravity. She later earned a PhD in engineering from Jesus College, Cambridge, in 2015. Her doctoral work, supervised by Nondas Mastorakos, investigated complex combustion processes.
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Prior to her transition into the space sector, she held a position as a lecturer within the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge. Her academic focus included turbulent flame dynamics and methods for pollutant reduction within combustion systems. She instructed students in the Energy, Fluid Mechanics, and Turbomachinery Division on subjects spanning flame physics, thermodynamics, and large-scale energy production.
Astronaut Career and Training
Following her 2017 selection alongside Joshua Kutryk, she relocated to Houston to complete the two-year NASA Astronaut Candidate Training Program at the Johnson Space Center. Graduating in 2020, she achieved certification as a capsule communicator. In this role, she provided mission support during Expedition 63 and assisted with the 2021 spacewalks dedicated to upgrading the solar arrays on the International Space Station.
Artemis II Involvement
In November 2023, the Canadian Space Agency designated Sidey-Gibbons as the backup crew member for Jeremy Hansen on the Artemis II mission. Her responsibilities included serving as an astronaut support person tasked with final spacecraft configurations. She functioned as a capsule communicator for the mission during the crewed test flight of the Orion spacecraft, which utilized the Space Launch System for its launch on 1 April 2026.
Fast facts
- Born: 3 August 1988, Calgary, Canada
- Education: McGill University, Jesus College (Cambridge)
- Selected as CSA Astronaut: 2017
- Youngest CSA Astronaut Candidate: Age 28
- Notable Awards: Young Woman Engineer of the Year (2016)
- Professional Background: Mechanical engineer, academic lecturer
- Artemis II Role: Backup crew member for Jeremy Hansen
- Mission Support: Capsule communicator (CAPCOM)
Questions readers ask
What was the focus of her doctoral research at Cambridge?
Her research focused on combustion processes and turbulent flame dynamics.
Did she serve on the Artemis II mission?
She was assigned as the backup crew member for Jeremy Hansen and supported the mission as a capsule communicator.
Achievements
- Educated at McGill University, Jesus College and Chinook Winds Adventist Academy
- Worked as astronaut and engineer
