Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who won the hearts of millions during the historic lunar flyby as part of the Artemis II mission, has announced the end of his active career at the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Beginning in September, he will officially step away from the day-to-day work of an astronaut.
However, Hansen himself emphasizes that this step in no way means full retirement. The colonel is moving into service as a reservist in the Royal Canadian Air Force. According to him, this decision will create space for creative ways to support and develop Canada’s space sector in the future. The CSA highly praised Hansen’s leadership and professionalism, noting that his contribution helped open a new historic chapter for the country and inspired young people to dream more boldly about the stars.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also expressed deep gratitude to the colonel for 32 years of military service and 17 years as an astronaut, emphasizing that his historic flight united the nation. The astronaut’s wife, Catherine, assured supporters on social media that Jeremy is not ending his career and that his new role in the military reserve will only expand opportunities to advance Canada’s shared space goals.
Records and Emotions
Jeremy Hansen became the only international astronaut on the Artemis II crew. The mission was the first human flight to the vicinity of the Moon in more than 50 years and set a historic distance record, with the spacecraft traveling 406,771 km from Earth.
Together with Hansen, three American NASA colleagues were aboard the 5-meter-wide Orion capsule: mission commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and engineer Christina Koch, who became the first woman to travel to the Moon.
The crew spent 10 days in space, regularly broadcasting their life in orbit. One of the most emotional moments of the mission, which moved the whole world, was Hansen’s initiative to name one of the lunar craters after the late wife of the commander, Carroll Wiseman. Jeremy recalled that a unique atmosphere reigned within the team, which they called the “train of joy” — a philosophy of quickly returning to optimism and unity even in the most difficult situations.
The Future of Space Exploration
After Hansen leaves his position, three active astronauts will remain in the Canadian corps: David Saint-Jacques, Joshua Kutryk, and Jenni Gibbons.
Meanwhile, NASA and its international partners are already preparing for the next steps. The Artemis III mission involves entering low Earth orbit to test docking between the Orion spacecraft and the lunar lander. Artemis IV, scheduled for launch in 2028, is expected to return humanity directly to the surface of our natural satellite.
Earlier, we reported on how the French language was heard for the first time on the way to the Moon from the mouth of Jeremy Hansen.
According to CNN
