Ashley Romkey (grade  4) - Tallahassee Community School, NS

Generally, crewmembers need approximately one to two years of training prior to flight. Sometimes, if elements of a mission are highly complex, training can take a number of years such as in the case of Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Chris Hadfield who worked with a team for four years to choreograph every move of the first Canadian spacewalk to install Canadarm2 to the International Space Station.

Mission training teaches the astronaut crews about the Space Station systems, scientific equipment operations and reviews specific and individual requirements for their mission. Training varies from crewmember to crewmember, depending upon the roles and responsibilities of each person. Eventually, at least one person will be responsible for maintaining the Space Station equipment and systems, while others will be responsible for operating the six ISS laboratories. Now, only the US Discovery Lab is on orbit. Every crewmember is cross-trained with the rest of the crew to some degree.

Breanne (grade 4) - South Sa-hali Elementary, BC

Most astronauts have an academic background in medicine, physics or engineering. The number of years spent in school varies depending on the discipline that one chooses to follow. All astronauts have completed high school; have undertaken 4 years of undergraduate degree at university and usually follow 2-3 years, or more, of advanced graduate studies.

After being recruited, an astronaut must complete basic training and then undertake Mission Specialist training, which usually takes one year of intensive study of shuttle systems to complete. At this point an astronaut can be assigned to a mission. Training for a mission can take as little as nine months of preparation time to as much as four years if the mission tasks are sufficiently complex. As Col. Chris Hadfield mentioned in response to this question during the STS-97 pre-launch webcast in December 2000, there are beyond a world of things to know before that day when the shuttle blasts off to space.

H.P. (grade 4) - Hilldale Public School, ON

The work of an astronaut is not limited to training and participating in space missions. Each astronaut is assigned a ground job on Earth as well. Not only do they have office work to complete, but they also participate in scientific research and have individually assigned duties depending on their skills or specialties.

One of the duties that the CSA astronauts enjoy most is sharing their experiences and knowledge about the benefits of space and what it is like to work and live in microgravity. These speaking engagements take them across Canada to places where learning is the primary focus—like schools, science centres, museums and other organizations.

Answer provided by Chris Hadfield, CSA Astronaut.

Living and working in space is a unique experience. It's quiet, steady work, a bit lonely, relaxed, hugely fun to float without gravity, and beautiful to see the Earth forever in your window. You get to know the Earth like your own neighbourhood, and watch the seasons change everywhere. You see huge storms and beautiful sunrises. You regularly see the Northern Lights – and the Southern Lights too! It's hard to be away from family, but wonderful to be exploring the Universe.