Canadian Astronaut Jeremy Hansen Circles Moon on Artemis II

Jeremy Hansen transformed his childhood treehouse into a rocket ship after seeing a picture of Neil Armstrong in an encyclopedia. That five-year-old dreamer just became the first Canadian to orbit the Moon.

The 50-year-old astronaut launched aboard Artemis II this week alongside three NASA colleagues. Over 10 days, the crew will travel farther from Earth than any human in history, circling the Moon on the first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years.

Hansen's journey began with a bold move in 1995. As a first-year cadet at Canada's Royal Military College, he approached his hero, astronaut Chris Hadfield, and asked for his email address. Hadfield handed it over on the spot.

That brief encounter sparked a mentorship that would shape Hansen's entire career. Hadfield's advice was simple: follow what makes you passionate. Hansen did exactly that.

He became a fighter pilot flying CF-18s in Alberta, then joined the Canadian Space Agency in 2009. Fourteen years later, he earned his seat on Artemis II as the mission's only non-American astronaut.

Growing up on a farm near London, Ontario, Hansen's fascination with space started early. That encyclopedia page showing the 1969 Apollo Moon landing stayed burned in his brain. He studied space science and physics, joined the air cadets as a teen, and never stopped reaching upward.

Why This Inspires

Hansen knows the mission might face setbacks, and he's okay with that. "To do something that has never been done before means that your team is very likely to face failure," he told the Canadian Space Agency. But he loves that in space exploration, periodic failure never stops forward progress.

He's carrying four Moon-shaped pendants for his wife and three teenage children. His mission patch, designed by Anishinaabe artist Henry Guimond, features Indigenous teachings about treating one another with love, respect, courage and humility.

Hansen told the BBC he's most excited for one particular moment: when he'll see the Moon in the foreground with Earth hanging in the distance behind it. He hopes humanity will pause when four humans reach the far side of the Moon and remember we can do better at lifting each other up.

From treehouse to the Moon, Hansen proved that big dreams paired with persistence can launch you anywhere.