The Current Jeremy Hansen on the way to the moon
Apr 8, 2026
Jeremy Hansen, a Canadian astronaut selected for Artemis II, shares the thrill of final countdowns and intense mission training. He talks about confronting risk, what it takes to survive deep space, and why a crewed lunar flight matters. He also reflects on Canada’s role in international space partnerships and the personal meaning of fulfilling a childhood dream.
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Test Flight Complexity Requires Focused Rehearsal
- Artemis II is a test flight where crews drill nominal and many backup scenarios because the vehicle is complex and novel.
- Jeremy Hansen emphasizes selecting the most critical failure scenarios to practice with the whole flight-control team rather than trying to rehearse every possibility.
Accepted Risks Can Stack Into Catastrophe
- Risk is real: a single failure is manageable but multiple stacked failures could be fatal on a deep-space mission.
- Hansen frames acceptance of risk as part of exploration, acknowledging they prepare for many failure modes while believing a safe Pacific Ocean splashdown is most likely.
Moon Mission as Catalyst For Global Collaboration
- The purpose of Artemis II extends beyond science to demonstrating global teamwork and driving innovation that benefits humanity.
- Hansen argues the mission unites thousands internationally, producing technological ripple effects and a model for cooperative problem-solving.