Canada officially became the second country in history to send an astronaut toward the Moon as Colonel Jeremy Hansen launched aboard the Artemis II mission yesterday.
The historic flight, which lifted off on Thursday from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:35 pm ET, marks the first time humans have returned to the lunar vicinity since the end of the Apollo era in 1972.
Hansen is joined by NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch for the 10-day journey. While Hansen makes history in the capsule, fellow Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jenni Gibbons is managing critical communications from ground control as the mission’s official backup and capcom.
The mission serves as a high-stakes test for the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. Over the next 24 hours, the crew will perform a series of system checks while in Earth’s orbit. Once cleared, the service module will execute a powerful engine burn to sling the crew toward the Moon.
During the voyage, the crew will cover more than two million kilometres in 10 days. They are scheduled to perform a lunar flyby, venturing beyond the far side of the Moon to test deep-space navigation and life-support systems. The data gathered will determine if the hardware is ready for future long-duration stays on the lunar surface and eventual missions to Mars.
Canada secured its spot on this mission through decades of technical contributions, specifically in space robotics. Hansen, a veteran CF-18 fighter pilot who joined the astronaut corps in 2009, has spent years preparing for this specific flight.
“Artemis II is a historic moment for Canada – a mission that showcases our national pride and leadership in space innovation,” said Mélanie Joly, Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development, in a statement on Thursday. “As Jeremy takes this historic step, he carries the strength of Canada’s space industry with him.”
The mission is expected to conclude with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego. If successful, it clears the way for Artemis III, which aims to land the first woman and next man on the lunar surface. God speed, Artemis III.
The video quality of the launch still looks like we’re back in 1972. You’d think 54 years later NASA would be able to upgrade the video to not look like VHS? Watching a SpaceX launch production seems light years ahead. You can watch a way better video and tracking of the Artemis II launch below from Everyday Astronaut:
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