LONGUEUIL — A Canadian astronaut embarking on a deep space mission to the moon admits it’s a scary prospect, but he’s learned to mitigate those fears.
Jeremy Hansen made the comments as he took questions from elementary school students during an event at the Canadian Space Agency today.
Hansen says the mission has risks but he believes they are worth taking because it is pushing humanity forward.
The Canadian and his NASA astronaut crewmates could launch their Artemis II mission as early as February 2026.
It would be the first mission to the moon by astronauts since the last Apollo mission in 1972 and is also Hansen’s first-ever mission in space.
He would become the first non-American to travel beyond the lower Earth orbit.
Hansen was accompanied by Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, making a first visit to the agency since being named to head the department.
Joly says it’s a key moment for the space agency as Canada intends to increase defence spending over the next decade.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2025.
The Canadian Press
