Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who flew on the Artemis II mission, is stepping down from his role as an astronaut. Hansen made the announcement on social media, stating that he will be transitioning to a reservist member of the Royal Canadian Air Force in September.
Artemis II Mission
Hansen was part of the Artemis II mission, which was the first journey humans had taken to the vicinity of the moon in more than 50 years. The mission set a record for the farthest into space humans have ever traveled at 252,756 miles.
Hansen flew alongside NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch. The crew shared live footage of themselves aboard the Orion capsule, and Hansen shared a memorable moment during a live broadcast from the mission.
Next Steps
After stepping down, Hansen will pursue new professional opportunities. The Canadian Space Agency praised Hansen’s leadership, dedication, and professionalism, stating that he contributed to a historic new chapter for Canada in space.
NASA intends to follow up the Artemis II mission with Artemis III, a flight to low-Earth orbit that will attempt to test how NASA’s Orion capsule can dock with a lunar lander. The Artemis IV mission, expected to be the first in the program to land humans on the moon’s surface, is planned to launch as soon as 2028.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
