Alberta astronaut Josh Kutryk was among four crew members launched into orbit from Florida on Thursday, as Edmontonians watched and cheered at a public viewing event. Dragon lifted off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 9:10 a.m. MT, carrying the crew toward the International Space Station (ISS).

About two dozen people gathered at Stanley A. Milner Library to watch the launch on its two-storey digital wall. Telus World of Science Edmonton (TWOSE) co-hosted the event and provided subject matter experts to answer questions from attendees. Sarah Tickiqlong said she was praying for the crew’s safety. “I was praying because their safety matters,” she said.

Tickiqlong told CTV News Edmonton she valued the explanations accompanying the broadcast. “I appreciate watching every stage and them explaining (the stages) to us so that we could have more understanding about each part that was going on,” she said. Kutryk’s Alberta connections added to the occasion for her and others at the gathering.

Kutryk was born in Fort Saskatchewan and spent some of his childhood on a cattle farm in eastern Alberta. He also spent part of his time as a fighter pilot in Cold Lake, in northern Alberta, where Tickiqlong grew up. “Cold Lake representation really matters because of the airspace training that they do there,” she said. “Seeing how thriving my community can be really matters because going from the ground all the way up to space, you never know what world or what the world has to give and offer to you.”

Six-year-old Victoria attended the library event wearing a spacesuit. Her mother, Maria Desbiens, said she encourages her daughter’s ambition to become an astronaut while stressing the work involved. “I hear her say, ‘I want to be an astronaut. Can I be an astronaut?’ I say, ‘Yes, you can. You have to work very hard and study a lot,’” Desbiens said.

Desbiens said the pair had visited a space science centre and observatory a couple of weeks earlier to watch the moon. “It was really nice to see her using the telescope and just pretending she was in a spaceship,” she said. Organizers said the event was intended to encourage inspiration, lifelong learning and community spirit.

“It’s so exciting to give people that wow experience because that’s also one of the things that jump starts learning,” said Jessica Niemi, the library’s associate manager. TWOSE science specialist Joel Weatherly said the year had been significant for Canadian space exploration. Kutryk is the second Canadian to go to space this year, following Jeremy Hanson, who was part of the 10-day lunar mission called Artemis II.

Crew-13 is travelling to the ISS for a six-month mission, during which its members will conduct medical and agriculture research. “This has just been a fantastic year for Canadian space exploration. Getting two astronauts in the same year is a really big deal for us,” Weatherly said. He said the mission could interest people beyond space enthusiasts. “This is exciting - not just for me as a big space enthusiast, but for lots of people. Whether you’re interested in space or interested in health medicine or anything like that, the ISS touches many different walks of life, and getting to see people doing amazing things is always exciting.” CTV News Edmonton’s Evan Kenny and Darcy Seaton contributed files.

Based on reporting by CTV News Edmonton.