Jeremy Hansen, a London-born astronaut, is set to make history next month as part of NASA’s Artemis II mission, which will send humans around the moon for the first time in more than 50 years.
The Artemis II mission will carry astronauts around the moon and back, marking humanity’s first journey that far from Earth since the Apollo era. The flight is intended to test critical spacecraft systems required for future missions, including plans to return astronauts to the lunar surface.
Aviation experts say the mission represents a major leap in human spaceflight.
Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen is set to travel around the moon on NASA’s Artemis II mission. (Photo: Robert Markowitz/NASA JSC)
Fanshawe College aviation professor Kelly Moffitt says the mission will take astronauts farther from Earth than previous crewed missions.
“It’s actually going the furthest anybody’s ever gone, past the moon, doing a circle around it, and then coming back basically to Earth,” Moffitt said.
He said Artemis II will help demonstrate astronauts’ ability to operate for longer periods at greater distances from Earth.
Researchers at Western University say the mission is a critical step toward a return to the moon.
“At its core, Artemis II is a test,” said Jack Hostrawser, a PhD candidate at Western University. “This is how we confirm that the systems are ready for future lunar missions.”
He added that future missions could allow scientists to explore previously understudied regions of the moon.
“Apollo missions were limited to areas near the lunar equator,” Hostrawser said. “Future missions could open entirely new regions for scientific discovery.”
Moffitt said Hansen’s role aboard the mission has sparked pride across the local community.
“There’s a real sense of pride here,” Moffitt said. “People are constantly talking about what it means to see a local astronaut take part in a mission like this.”
NASA’s Artemis II mission is scheduled to launch April 1.
