Julie Payette, who rocketed into space as Canada’s second female astronaut, appears poised to become the next Governor General.

Payette, who left Canada’s astronaut corps four years ago, appears likely to be named as the Queen’s next representative in Canada on Thursday.

The 53-year-old Montreal native would replace David Johnston, who has held the office for seven years, becoming the fourth woman to hold the governor general post after Michaëlle Jean, Adrienne Clarkson and Jeanne Sauvé.

The Prime Minister’s Office was not officially commenting Wednesday on the choice of the next Governor General. But a senior government official confirmed that Payette appeared certain to take on the post.

The identity of Johnston’s replacement has been a closely guarded secret. Traditionally, the viceregal job rotates between anglophones and francophones, with all indications pointing to a francophone filling the portfolio beginning this fall.

If confirmed, Payette would bring an impressive resumé to Rideau Hall, one that already includes a commercial pilot’s licence, credentials as a deep-sea diving suit operator, the ability to converse in six languages — French, English, Spanish, Italian, Russian and German — pianist, and orchestra singer.

In 1992, the Canadian Space Agency picked Payette and three others from a pool of 5,330 applicants to become astronauts.

She went on to fly two missions on the space shuttle in 1999 and 2009, missions that included stops at the International Space Station. She has logged a total of 611 hours in orbit. She has also served as capsule communicator, responsible for communications between mission control in Houston and astronauts in orbit.

Payette holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Montreal’s McGill University and a master’s of applied science in computer engineering from the University of Toronto. She told the Star in 2014 that the deficit of women in science is a “multi-faceted issue.”

“It has to do with recruitment, retention, promotion within the system, which may not be always equal, accommodation and then the fifth one is what I call image,” she said.

“There is a bit of an image that is tagged to scientists and engineers, and I don’t think I fit that, but I am through and through very much an engineer and proudly so. I’m a total geek and I love it.”

The Governor General also serves as commander-in-chief of the Canadian Armed Forces. As part of her 1,300 hours of flight time, Payette has experience flying CT-114 Tutor jet — the same aircraft used by the Snowbirds aerobatic team — and has earned her instrument rating with the military.

She has been honoured with more than a dozen honorary degrees from Canadian universities.

During Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill, Prince Charles paid tribute to Johnson’s” impeccable service as her “majesty’s representative.”

“He has earned great respect and gratitude as a modern nation-builder whose commitment to the youth of Canada and reconciliation is exemplary,” Charles told the crowd.

Multiple officials say Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will make the announcement at 1 p.m. in the foyer of the Senate, and is expected to be flanked by the new viceregal, just as Johnston stood alongside Stephen Harper when he was tapped for the job in 2010.

Johnston, who had a long career in academia, was chosen for the position off a short list presented to Harper by an ad hoc committee of experts struck with the express task of selecting a non-partisan person with constitutional knowledge.

At the time, Harper had a minority government and so who held the post of Governor General was essential to maintaining the stability of government. Johnston’s term is set to expire in September, after Harper extended it by two years ahead of the 2015 federal election.

The names of those on the selection committee weren’t published until after Johnston’s nomination, but Harper would go on to make the committee a permanent body, saying a process to ensure a non-partisan approach to appointments was important.

When asked late last year how he’d pick the next Governor General, Trudeau was noncommittal about what process he would use.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

“I’m not going to change things just to reinvent the wheel,” Trudeau said in a year-end interview with The Canadian Press.

“If there is a good process that we can improve by making (it) more open and transparent and more diverse, that I will probably do.”

Johnston is currently on a visit to China and is expected to have an audience with the Queen next week when he travels to the U.K. for Canada 150 events, likely marking the last time he will sit face-to-face with the monarch he represents.

In his farewell speech on Canada Day, Johnston said he has learned much in his seven years on the job.

“These are challenging but exciting times,” he said. “And together we can show the world what a great country looks like. To me it looks like Canada, a country that strives, always, to be smarter and more caring — to do better, together.”

With files from Alanna Rizza and The Canadian Press

Read more about: