Far above the Earth, with a Canadian flag behind them, astronauts Julie Payette and Bob Thirsk made their first joint appearance Sunday aboard the international space station.

They represent a major landmark for Canada -- it's the first time two Canadians have been in space at the same time.

Payette, a member of the Endeavour crew, joined Thirsk at the space station on Friday. But while Payette is spending 16 days at the ISS, Thirsk is currently on a six-month mission.

Today marked the 54th day for Thirsk, as he answered questions from Gary Goodyear, Canada's minister of state for science and technology, about what it's like to live in a giant, hulking metal structure orbiting the planet.

"If you're the type of person who enjoys camping, you'll love it here," he said.

"Living aboard the space station is like camping out. It's not a hotel lifestyle, it's more of a rustic lifestyle."

In true camping fashion, Thirsk's bed is a sleeping bag, although it's located in the middle of a laboratory. And because of the zero gravity, he said it feels like a water bed.

The only issue is privacy, but Thirsk said he's grateful to be in the company of Payette and the other astronauts.

"We're all very good colleagues; we respect each other," he said. "It's a real joy to work with these people every day and I love having everyone around."

He also said the space station is large enough that it never feels too crowded.

"Be aware that the space station is not a small space vehicle," he said. "It's very, very large. It's perhaps the same interior as a 747 aircraft."