Canadian Space Agency

Lore & Background

The Canadian Space Agency's role in Artemis II centered on the selection and support of astronaut Jeremy Hansen as a mission specialist. Hansen was announced as part of the four-person crew on April 3, 2023. Earlier that day, NASA administrator Bill Nelson delivered his 'State of NASA' address at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., before introducing the crew later at Ellington Field outside Houston, Texas. The crew made a public appearance that evening at the nearby NRG Stadium during the 2023 March Madness basketball championship game. If Artemis II completes its planned trajectory, Hansen would become the first person not from the United States to travel beyond low Earth orbit and around the Moon, a distinction that underscores the international character of the Artemis program. The CSA's participation in Artemis II built on decades of Canadian contributions to human spaceflight, including astronaut missions to the International Space Station and the development of the Canadarm robotic systems. Hansen's flight would represent the first time a Canadian astronaut has traveled beyond low Earth orbit, placing the CSA among the small group of space agencies that have sent humans to the vicinity of the Moon.

In Their Own Story

Jeremy Hansen strapped into his seat aboard the Orion spacecraft, named Integrity by the crew. Through the window, Earth shrank to a blue marble as the Space Launch System pushed them beyond low Earth orbit for the first time since 1972. He thought of the Canadian flag patch on his shoulder, the only non-American emblem on the crew's suits. When the spacecraft reached its maximum distance of 252,756 miles from Earth, breaking Apollo 13's record, Hansen became the farthest any Canadian—and any non-American—had ever traveled from home. The moment was part of what the world would call "Moon joy."

Reader's Guide

The Canadian Space Agency's primary contribution to Artemis II was providing astronaut Jeremy Hansen as a crew member. Hansen's role involved supporting mission objectives to validate Orion's systems, crew operations, and mission procedures ahead of sustained lunar exploration. The CSA worked within the NASA-led Artemis program structure, coordinating crew training and mission support. Hansen's participation demonstrated the CSA's capability to contribute to deep-space human exploration, building on its experience with International Space Station missions. The agency's relationship with NASA was that of a key international partner, with Hansen's seat on the crew reflecting the broader collaboration between the two space agencies. The CSA's involvement in Artemis II also set the stage for future Canadian contributions to lunar exploration, including potential crew assignments to later Artemis missions.

Did You Know?

• Jeremy Hansen is scheduled to become the first person not from the United States to travel beyond low Earth orbit and around the Moon on Artemis II, pending the mission's successful launch.
• The Artemis II crew was announced on April 3, 2023, by NASA administrator Bill Nelson at Ellington Field outside Houston, Texas. Earlier that day, Nelson delivered his 'State of NASA' address at NASA Headquarters in Wash
• Hansen and the crew made a public appearance at NRG Stadium during the 2023 March Madness basketball championship game on the evening of the crew announcement.
• Artemis II is the first crewed flight of the NASA-led Artemis program, but it is not the first flight of the Space Launch System or Orion spacecraft overall—Artemis I was the first uncrewed flight of both.