By: Nick Liard

Many children dream of becoming an astronaut and for Jesse Zroback it could become reality.

For just the fourth time in our country’s history, the Canadian Space Agency is hiring astronauts, and one possible candidate has a Sudbury connection.

Jesse Zroback grew up in Kenora, but studied at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.

Zroback was one of 72 potential candidates, that list has been cut down to 17, meaning he’s that much closer to reaching something he’s wanted since he was two-years old.

Zroback is now a Family physician in Marathon.

He tells us the training has been intense and says the toughest was the “dunker,” which simulates a helicopter that has crashed upside down in water,  often they only get 3-5 minutes warning before the tasks begin.

Zroback says the Space Agency doesn’t give too much information about the next round of cuts but the two successful candidates will be picked at the end of June.

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