Astronaut Chris Hadfield has said he is retiring from the space programme and moving back to Canada after decades away from home.
Commander Hadfield gained international prominence during his recent six-month trip to the International Space Station, where he used social media to share experiments, photographs and a memorable music video.
During his time on the ISS he regularly tweeted photos of Ireland and made history sending a message to planet Earth "as gaeilge".
The astronaut announced that he is leaving the Canadian Space Agency next month.
He will also leave behind his long-time home in Houston, where he built his career.
Cmdr Hadfield made the announcement at the Canadian agency's headquarters in his first such event in the country since his return from space.
He told reporters:”I have decided to retire after 35 years of serving our country in, gosh, putting myself in harms way in pushing back the edges of what is capable.”
He says he plans to do presentations on space while reflecting over the coming year on his next move.
Mr Hadfield, who was the first from Canada to command a space station crew, landed in Kazakhstan last month after a five-month stint aboard the International Space Station.
