I was quite willing to approve of him. His feats and accomplishments are undeniable. When he reached out to the every day people through Twitter and Facebook, with unique photographs of our planet, I thought it was a great way to help develop space awareness. The media celebrated the most "social media savy" astronaut ever.
Covering a world-famous song in space and posting it was as unexpected as it was amusing.
His intense scrutiny of the (ever-increasing) number of viewings of that video was the first sign of something that didn't have to do with exploration, science and service to humanity.
Less than two months after his return to Earth, at the height of his potential as a spokesperson and ambassador to space, he retired from his federal job as an astronaut and became a private citizen. He promptly wrote, edited and published a book about his experience. I read it. Only a small part was about his actual time in space but he had wetted our appetite to find out more about him with his social media presence. The book had one message throughout: it's all about being prepared. Preparation is the key to everything.
The Astronaut then started putting together the pieces of a plan he had clearly hatched way beforehand.There was a very public world tour to promote his book, which was translated in a great many languages.
He played every card to become a public figure, ostensibly promoting education, science, space and his own achievements. He played on his sense of humor, his approachable vibe: I'm just an ordinary guy, I'm on Twitter and Facebook, hey come say hi at my book signing etc... Like it's all no big deal.
He appeared on magazines covers, received several honors and distinctions, everybody wanted to meet him, invite him, have a piece of him. That's exactly where he wanted to be.
A year later, he published a second book of photographs taken while in space.
I've just learned that he will soon release "the first album ever recorded in space".
The line was crossed for me there. An astronaut's schedule on the ISS is intense, to say the least. They are not up there twiddling their thumbs, and are provided everyday with a heavy, tight and full schedule of things to do.
I was a little surprised that he had had time to shoot his famous song cover video. I was a little suprised that his book could have been written, edited and published so soon after his return. Beating the iron while it's hot and publishing space photographs taken during is sojourn? Ok.
Now I discover he made the time and had the equipement up there to record an album? And suddenly, everything falls into place. "Preparation is the key to everything." He planned it all along. No spontaneous rise to fame here. Every step was a piece of a perfectly executed plan leading to money, fame and a comfortable retirement.
It's not illegal by any means. It does not make him a bad man, it hurts no one, it breaks no rule. He was sent to space and paid during that time at considerable expense to the taxpayers of Canada... He was given an opportunity, he exploited it fully thanks to a flawless agenda. Good for him I guess.
But I have jumped off the Astronaut's bandwagon of fans and admirers. It looks like his main agenda was his personal one all along. So, Good night, and Good luck, Major Tom.
