The head of the Canadian Space Agency, former defence chief Walt Natynczyk insists that his appointment doesn`t signal the militarization of agency.
Natynczyk took over as president of the space agency last August, replacing former astronaut Steve MacLean.
The retired general says the space agency must be run in accordance with the Canadian Space Act -- which mandates the peaceful use of space.
He also says that after eight months on the job, space agency workers are now comfortable with him -- or at least that's what they tell him.
The CSA has nearly 700 employees -- most of them employed at its headquarters in Longueuil.
Natynczyk says he`s keenly interested in getting another Canadian astronaut to visit the International Space Station.
CSA officials have previously said that will likely happen sometime between 2016 and 2019.
Natynczyk says once the timing is clearer, the agency will resume recruiting astronauts.
Canada currently has two astronauts in training, David Saint-Jacques and Jeremy Hansen.
Canada`s astronaut corps peaked in 1992 when there were 10 active astronauts.
