Astronaut Jeremy Hansen shares message of Canadian pride and ambition as Artemis II nears the moon

More than 200,000 kilometres from Earth, Jeremy Hansen spoke to Canadians back home: “I am so proud of our country,” he said from inside the Orion spacecraft early Saturday morning.

“If we can send a human around the moon in 2026, just imagine what we’re capable of doing next,” he added.

Hansen was speaking during a live question-and-answer session with Canadian reporters Friday, carried out over a delayed video link routed through Houston. The connection takes about 10 seconds to travel between Earth and space.

Just after 1 a.m. at the Canadian Space Agency facility in Longueuil, more than a hundred people — family members, engineers and staff — packed in alongside a small group of reporters.

Then the moment came.

“We hear you loud and clear, we’re a long way away, but it’s great to chat with you,” Hansen said, popping up onto the screen, flanked by commander Reid Wiseman and pilot Victor Glover, who both appeared to be floating, while mission specialist Christina Koch worked off-camera.

At this point, the crew was closer to the moon than to Earth, a milestone reached fewer than three days into Artemis II, the first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit in more than half a century.

“The Earth is quite small,” Glover said. “The moon is getting bigger.”

On the screen, a microphone floated weightlessly between questions as the crew drifted in and out of frame.

Hansen described watching Earth shrink dramatically from the capsule window, only to feel as if they were plunging back toward it.

“It felt like we were going to hit it,” he said. “It’s amazing that we’re actually going to go around and miss this thing.”

The spacecraft launched Wednesday from Kennedy Space Center and initially remained in orbit while astronauts tested Orion’s systems. On Thursday night, a powerful translunar injection burn — the “big push,” as mission officials described it — sent the capsule toward the moon.

The crew has been living in a space roughly the size of a minivan, sleeping in suspended bags and eating prepackaged meals, all while trying to exercise to maintain strength in microgravity.

There have also been minor early glitches, including a temporary communications issue and a fault in the toilet system. However, those were reportedly quickly resolved.

And there have been lighter moments, too. Hansen said the crew located a stash of maple cookies on their first day in space.

Each was asked to bring a selection of food with them they were happy to eat a room temperature. For Hansen, that included a handful of Canadian goodies.

“We haven’t found the maple syrup yet,” Hansen added.

His message turned more pointed when asked what Canadians should take from the mission.

“To get big things done, you need a big team behind you,” he said. “Share your dreams with others.”

Hansen’s presence aboard the mission carries broader meaning, according to Lisa Campbell, president of the Canadian Space Agency: it showed what international co-operation and sustained investment can achieve.

“Jeremy’s voyage reminds us that when Canada invests in science, technology and international partnerships, we open the door to remarkable possibilities for generations to come,” she said.

That co-operation was on display inside the capsule: one Canadian astronaut flying alongside three Americans on a mission led by NASA.

“It is such an extraordinary example of collaboration,” Hansen said.

“Humanity has once again shown what we’re capable of.”

The mission, which will loop around the far side of the moon without landing, is designed as a test of Orion’s systems and daily operations in deep space, paving the way for future lunar landings.

Speaking to reporters in both English and French, Hansen also became the first astronaut in history to speak French while on en route to the moon.

On Friday, NASA released the first images from inside the spacecraft. One included a striking view of Earth rising beyond Orion’s window, its surface streaked with clouds and illuminated by a faint green aurora.

As of Friday, the crew was roughly halfway to the moon and on track to reach it early next week. The voyage is scheduled to last about 10 days.

Asked what had surprised him most so far, Hansen said: “It’s too much to recount.”

“Being on the rocket and feeling it move — I felt like a kid.”

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