Lunar Dreams: Canadian Astronaut Jeremy Hansen’s Journey to the Moon

Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen is gearing up for a lunar expedition as a mission specialist for the Artemis II team.

Hansen engaged in a conversation with the CBC’s Travis Dolynny regarding the mission, scheduled for launch in April 2026.

The following has been condensed for brevity and clarity.

Travis Dolynny: What are the aims of the Artemis II mission?

Jeremy Hansen: You need to envision Artemis II as part of the larger Artemis initiative, a series of missions that ultimately focus on Mars. In the meantime, our priority is the Moon as our next stepping stone, aiming to bring humans back to the lunar surface. Therefore, for Artemis II, this is predominantly a test flight.

We have a new rocket system, which we have successfully flown once without any crew on board. This will mark the first occasion we will place humans on this rocket and within this capsule, which is referred to as the Orion capsule atop the Space Launch System. We will assess this capsule and ensure its readiness for upcoming missions.

In our instance, we will not have a lunar lander, as it is not prepared yet. We will spend a day flying around Earth, evaluating the systems to confirm their readiness for deep space. Once we are confident in the vehicle, we will accelerate to 39 times the speed of sound and set course for the Moon. The entire mission will span approximately nine days.

TD: Incredible. How does the Artemis program compare to the Apollo missions?

JH: There are several key differences from a broader perspective. In Apollo, we were constrained to the Equatorial regions of the Moon because, at that time, we lacked the necessary thrust to reach the South Pole, which is our target now. This is mainly due to our realization since Apollo that there is indeed water on the Moon. We believe that by exploring the permanently shadowed regions, such as some craters at the South Pole, we will discover water in ice form. This could be a crucial resource for future human exploration.

Targeting the South Pole is a major goal. There is so much more to uncover there. We’re looking to construct a space station in lunar orbit known as the Gateway, to which Canada is contributing a third generation of space robotics. We aim to utilize some of the low gravity zones around the Moon and unique orbits to explore deep space.

Additionally, any time you undertake a venture like this, you will inevitably learn new things. You will advance industrial engineering technologies, conduct new scientific inquiries, and gain the chance to study phenomena that cannot be examined from Earth or even the International Space Station. For instance, on the far side of the Moon, you can eliminate all the signals and noise that we generate as humans on Earth—those radio frequencies we are continuously transmitting into space. It enables us to observe things that we can’t hear from our location. This is made possible from the far side of the Moon. Thus, there are plenty of exciting possibilities we will explore once we resolve how to return there again.

LISTEN | Astronaut Jeremy Hansen on preparing for the Artemis II mission to the Moon:

TD: Another extraordinary moment might be witnessing the famous Earthrise. How does that vision resonate with you?

JH: Incredible. As we approach the Moon, naturally, we’ll have a stunning close-up view of it, and we will travel around the far side of the Moon for a period, during which we will lose communication with Earth. For around 45 minutes, we will experience a communication blackout where we cannot reach Mission Control. As we return around the far side, we will re-establish communications as we regain line of sight with Earth, and simultaneously, we will witness an Earthrise. Much like how we would observe the sun rising over the horizon or the Moon appearing, in this instance, we will see Earth rise above the lunar horizon, which will be quite breathtaking. It is certainly one aspect I am eagerly anticipating. 

Regardless of the circumstances, we are going to transmit imagery and footage captured by human hands back to the planet, reminding everyone of that amazing perspective we all have tucked away in our minds. Sometimes we overlook the fact that we are one species inhabiting this incredible planet, capable of achieving remarkable feats when we collaborate to create rather than destruct and when we support each other. This will be our Apollo generation, aiming to remind ourselves, ‘Let’s set ambitious goals for humanity. Let’s push for significant objectives and inspire people to work together to accomplish remarkable feats.’

TD: Speaking of remarkable achievements, how has the training for the mission been for you up until now?

JH: I am truly enjoying every moment. This experience is exhilarating. I am collaborating with an amazing group of individuals. While many say this, I genuinely mean it. These are extraordinary people. We have an international team tackling challenging tasks; we are developing new technology using advanced systems beyond our previous capabilities. Naturally, we encounter obstacles and challenges, but I thrive in being part of a team that devises strategies to overcome them. Witnessing others succeed lifts my spirits and instills hope for our future. I must emphasize that this is undoubtedly a highlight of my career.

Being involved in this is a first concerning testing and developing a new system, which is incredibly captivating to observe behind the scenes as we evaluate testing methods, identify issues, and collaborate to address them. It’s a genuine privilege.

TD: It appears this mission will be nothing short of spectacular.

JH: One of my aspirations as the Canadian participant in the Artemis II mission alongside my three American partners is to reflect back to humanity in general, and particularly to Canadians. I want to remind them how exceptional it is that we are the second nation in the world invited to send humans into deep space. This achievement was not handed to us; we earned it.

We possess a wealth of creative ingenuity in our nation. We have developed genuine innovations that our international partners greatly value. This achievement is not a gift; it results from the contributions we have made and shared. Many Canadians have worked hard to attain this opportunity, and I am immensely proud to represent them in space.