In a moment of national pride for Canada, former Bank of England Governor and prominent Canadian figure Mark Carney has shared his overwhelming enthusiasm for the country’s contribution to NASA’s groundbreaking Artemis II mission, following a formal call with astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who made history as the first Canadian selected for a deep space voyage.
Hansen, a highly trained Canadian Space Agency astronaut, secured his place on the four-person Artemis II crew — the first crewed mission to orbit the Moon since NASA’s Apollo program concluded in the 1970s. In recognition of this milestone, Canada’s prime minister held a personal conversation with Hansen to congratulate him on his historic selection, cementing Canada’s role as a key international partner in the next era of lunar exploration.
Carney, speaking publicly after the announcement, emphasized his deep pride in Hansen and the entire Canadian astronaut corps, noting that the mission represents more than just a personal achievement for Hansen. It stands as a testament to decades of Canadian investment in space research, technological innovation, and international scientific collaboration. As part of the Artemis Accords, Canada has partnered with NASA and other space agencies to advance lunar exploration, with plans to establish a long-term lunar outpost and eventually send crewed missions to Mars. Hansen’s participation in Artemis II marks a major milestone in Canada’s growing presence in human spaceflight, opening new doors for future Canadian scientists and engineers to contribute to deep space exploration.
The Artemis II mission, scheduled to launch no earlier than September 2025, will test all of the Orion spacecraft’s critical systems with a crew on board, paving the way for subsequent landings of the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface. For Canada, a country with a long history of contributing to space exploration — including the iconic Canadarm robotic arm system that has supported decades of space shuttle and International Space Station missions — Hansen’s flight represents a new chapter of leadership in global space exploration.