First Canadian to Orbit Moon Included Aboard Artemis II

The crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission | Photo Credit: NASA via Scientific American

Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen will be part of Artemis II, the first crewed mission to the moon since 1972. The upcoming mission will make Canada the second country to have an astronaut fly around the moon. François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry for Canada, made the announcement on Apr. 3.

The mission is planned for no earlier than Nov. 2024 and is set to launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It will land in the Pacific Ocean upon return to Earth. 

“We are going back to the moon, and Canada is at the centre of this exciting journey. Thanks to our reputation as a trusted partner and longstanding collaboration with NASA, a Canadian astronaut will fly on this historic mission. On behalf of all Canadians, I want to congratulate Jeremy for being at the forefront of one of the most ambitious human endeavours ever undertaken. Canada's participation in the Artemis program will spur the creation of thousands of highly skilled jobs, boost innovation and be a source of national pride for years to come," expressed Champagne. 

The NASA-led Artemis program, which includes contributions from the Canadian Space Agency, the European Space Agency, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, and several other organizations, is a program that builds the expertise for a lasting return to the moon. The program also lays an essential foundation for deep-space exploration to destinations such as Mars. 

Much like the Apollo program, the Artemis program begins with missions around the moon before a mission that lands astronauts on the lunar surface. 

For Artemis II, the crewed Orion spacecraft will travel a unique trajectory, which will circle Earth twice to gain enough speed to travel the long distance to the moon, known as “hybrid free return”. Once the spacecraft reaches the moon, it will then use the moon’s gravity to slingshot around the far side and finally return to our planet. The Orion vessel and its crew will fly a maximum distance of approximately 10,000 km from the moon. Although the exact duration of the mission has not yet been confirmed, it has been estimated to take around ten days.

The Orion spacecraft is a new exploration vessel that will carry the Artemis missions to space. The vehicle is designed to be launched by NASA’s SLS rocket. The spacecraft is composed of the Crew Module, where the crew will work and live, and the European Service Module, which will carry water, air, nitrogen, and propulsion and power systems. The Crew Module is designed to withstand the intense heat and physical forces during the vessel’s re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.

  “Being part of the Artemis II crew is both exciting and humbling. I’m excited to leverage my experience, training, and knowledge to take on this challenging mission on behalf of Canada. I’m humbled by the incredible contributions and hard work of so many Canadians that have made this opportunity a reality. I am proud and honoured to represent my country on this historic mission,” shared Jeremy Hansen.  

The other crew members of Artemis II include NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Hammock Koch. 

The four astronauts embarking on this mission will confirm that all of the vessel’s systems operate properly as designed with people aboard the spacecraft. Artemis II will open the door for future lunar surface missions, including Artemis III. 

The Artemis program will make history by sending the first woman and person of colour to the moon, and the first astronauts to explore the lunar South Pole. 

On Artemis III, the crew will take pictures and videos on the moon, survey geology, take samples, and gather other data. The mission is planned to launch in 2025.