"I never looked at a trading card and thought 'Someday I'm going to have my picture on one of these,'" Hadfield said. "Absolutely not. That is a stature and a status I never thought I'd obtain." But he and Canada's other five astronauts have achieved just that as part of a children's summer reading program in libraries across the country.

The collection, being produced by the Canadian Space Agency, is small - one card for each astronaut - costing less than $6,000 for 400,000 sets.

Fourteen printing companies bid for the project.  

"If you look at the cost versus the impact, I think this one is certainly a winner," said Nicole Gignac, a senior communications adviser at the space agency.  Each card carries an "action" picture of an astronaut with a

stamped signature and a portrait inset in the lower corner. Their signatures will also be printed on certificates given to kids who complete the program.  

The backs of the cards include the astronauts' reflections on their most memorable book growing up and an inspirational quotation related to reading. Sets will be distributed with reading kits to children between the ages of six and 12 who enrol in library programs this summer.  

"Literacy is definitely something that we want to support," said Gignac who helped organize the agency role with the National Library and Archives.

"Books allow you to dream, to explore, to learn while having fun. I find this is very inspiring."