[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr0g_xD20mA]
Chris Hadfield, the current commander of the International Space Station and viral video star, introduced a new space-themed $5 bill in orbit this week. Although the 15-minute clip above is not nearly as entertaining to watch as the Canadian astronaut’s duet with the Barenaked Ladies, or as aesthetically pleasing to look at as his photographs of Earth, it is amusing to watch him start playing with the new currency at the 2:26 and 7:45 marks when other people start talking. At the 10:30 mark, he shifts into a more comfortable position and stands sideways for a couple of minutes.
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“The new $5 and $10 bank notes depict the frontiers of our country and our planet,” Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney said in a statement. “It is fitting that we are today crossing the final frontier for a world first — the unveiling of a bank note from space.”
The new bill will enter circulation in November. It joins the current $20, $50 and $100 note that already feature the plastic bill’s new security features. The $10 bill was also unveiled on the same day.
Hadfield is expected to return to Earth on May 14.