Southwestern Ontario native Jeremy Hansen, hailing from Ailsa Craig, near London, is gearing up to become the first Canadian astronaut to journey to the moon. The community in his hometown is eagerly anticipating his participation in NASA’s Artemis II mission, set to launch in about a week. This mission will mark Canada as the second country globally to send a human into deep space.
Artemis II will propel Hansen and his American colleagues around the far side of the moon, venturing further into deep space than any previous human expedition. The upcoming 10-day journey aims to collect scientific data to test the capabilities of the rocket and the crew’s endurance, in readiness for future moon missions such as Artemis III, where astronauts will land on the lunar surface. The launch date, initially slated for February 8, remains subject to weather conditions.
Local enthusiasm for Hansen’s groundbreaking mission is palpable, with various community members in the London area gearing up to support their hometown hero. At Ingersoll District Collegiate Institute (IDCI), where Hansen attended high school, students and staff are closely following the mission progress. The school community has engaged in various activities to show their support, including creating a moon-shaped formation with students for a drone photo, which they shared with Hansen. The school also established the Artemis IDCI Explorers Club, building a Lego model of the Artemis rocket and launching a social media account to update students on the mission.
London-based musician Emm Gryner has dedicated a song titled “Touch the Sky” to celebrate Hansen’s space voyage, drawing inspiration from his connection to his wife Catherine and his upbringing in Ailsa Craig. The song aims to uplift listeners during challenging times. Hansen and his wife expressed their appreciation for the song, sharing that they even danced to it together.
Western University professor Gordon Osinski, who provided geological training to Hansen during their expedition to the Canadian Arctic, is eagerly anticipating the launch. Osinski will witness the mission from a front-row seat in Florida, courtesy of the Canadian Space Agency. As the principal investigator for Canada’s first lunar rover mission and the sole Canadian on the science team for the Artemis III mission, Osinski highlights the significance of Artemis II in shaping future lunar exploration endeavors. He emphasizes the critical role of this mission in paving the way for future space exploration initiatives.