It’s been a pretty interesting year for Canadians to say the least, and one Canadian in particular inspired people everywhere! In a recent article, Huffington Post Canada named Colonel Chris Hadfield as Canada’s Newsmaker of the Year! 2013 was the year Chris Hadfield won our hearts and minds, and showed the best of Canada to the world.

Since blasting off from Kazakhstan in December 2012, Hadfield has become a worldwide sensation, harnessing the power of social media to make outer space accessible to millions and infusing a sense of wonder into the collective consciousness not felt since man first walked on the moon.

Here are some incredible highlights from the last year with our favourite astronaut!