Astronaut Jeremy Hansen is ready to make historical past as the primary Canadian to fly across the moon. The Canadian House Company is hoping this “once-in-a-generation” occasion is one that can encourage younger folks to dream huge.
The approaching Artemis II mission to the moon and again is in its remaining preparation phases with a possible launch window opening as quickly as early February.
Hansen, 49, of London, Ont., will function mission specialist throughout Artemis II, changing into the primary non-American to journey past low Earth orbit, a historic achievement for Canada.
His crewmates are NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch. Artemis II would be the first crewed mission to the moon since 1972 — the 12 months of the ultimate Apollo mission.
“We consider this Artemis II mission for Canadians, it’s somewhat little bit of a once-in-a-generation mission … folks will bear in mind the place they had been when the launch occurred and when the mission occurred,” Annie A.-Bélanger of the Canadian House Company stated in a current interview.
Listed below are 5 issues concerning the Artemis II mission as its crew awaits launch day.
What’s subsequent for the mission
On Saturday, the SLS rocket — the car designed to launch the Orion spacecraft — is scheduled to be transferred from NASA’s vehicle-assembly constructing to the launch pad on the Kennedy House Middle in Florida, about 6.5 kilometres away. The rollout is predicted to take about 12 hours.
Earlier than the top of the month, the crew and mission staff will conduct a moist gown rehearsal — a simulated launch — on the house centre. Solely after that rehearsal will the administration staff assess when to launch. NASA has recognized a number of launch dates over the following few months, with the earliest being Feb. 6. It plans to carry the mission no later than April.
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Following the roughly 10-day mission, the craft is predicted to splash down within the Pacific Ocean.
Along with Hansen, fellow Canadian astronaut Jenni Gibbons, 37, of Calgary, is serving as Hansen’s backup and will likely be supporting the crew from the bottom management.
An opportunity to ask a query to Jeremy Hansen whereas he’s in house
The Canadian House Company will likely be accepting questions in French and English till Jan. 23 and can decide a number of submissions at random to current to Hansen whereas he’s in orbit. Bélanger says the company will choose questions from a various array of Canadians “from coast to coast to coast.”
“It’s a really particular second that you simply bear in mind for a very long time and we wish to make it possible for Canadians have this chance to ask questions,” Bélanger stated.
Questions could be submitted on the CSA’s web site: https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/news/articles/2026/2026-01-16-ask-astronaut-jeremy-hansen-question-during-artemis-ii-mission.asp
Delays are doable
It’s not unusual for house missions to be delayed — the Artemis II had been deliberate for September 2025 however was pushed to early 2026.
In late November 2022, NASA launched Artemis I, involving an NASA Orion spacecraft that didn’t comprise a crew and orbited the moon earlier than returning to Earth. That 25-day mission was additionally delayed.
NASA has recognized dates that run between February and April, so there’s a big window through which to launch.
“Any house launch is complicated: it requires numerous technical issues to go completely completely (and) climate is one other element and so as much as the final minute, we’re used to seeing launches that could possibly be postponed or simply cancelled for an additional date,” Bélanger stated.
Watch events deliberate throughout the nation
“One in all our targets is actually to make it possible for folks and Canadians take can participate in that mission,” Bélanger stated, including the CSA will present updates on the mission on the company’s varied social media channels.
Some watch events are already deliberate at science museums throughout the nation, the areas for which could be discovered on the CSA web site. The company has additionally created a watch occasion software package for folks planning to witness the historic launch at residence with household and mates.
As a lot of the potential launch home windows are late within the night, it gained’t probably be one thing college students will see stay within the classroom. However Bélanger says milestone occasions will likely be streamed stay and obtainable after. The company additionally has some science-related actions and tasks for lecturers.
“We’ve seen the joy of scholars all throughout Canada and Jeremy has been doing digital connections with many colleges, 1000’s of scholars,” Bélanger stated. “It’s one thing that is essential to him (and) crucial to us as properly to make it possible for college students know what’s occurring.”
Greater than 50 years after Apollo, an inspirational mission
“Plenty of our Canadian astronauts had been impressed by the Apollo missions, so it’s a method (to encourage youthful generations),” Bélanger stated, including that house journey can inspire younger folks to review science, expertise, engineering and math.
Artemis II will set the stage for subsequent missions to land astronauts on the moon’s south pole and to start assembling the Gateway lunar house station, which will likely be a small lunar outpost that can orbit the moon. The station will embody a Canadian contribution — Canadarm 3 — described by the CSA as a robotic system utilizing “cutting-edge software program to carry out some duties across the Moon autonomously, with out human intervention.”
© 2026 The Canadian Press
