An astronaut from the Canadian Space Agency will take part in the first manned mission to the Moon since the end of the Apollo program in 1972. Ontarian Jeremy Hansen will indeed be part of the team of the Artemis II mission, which must make the orbit of the Moon in 2024.
Born in Ontario in 1976, Jeremy Hansen was introduced to aviation very early in the Air Cadets. At 17, he obtained his pilot’s license, then was admitted to the Royal Military College Saint-Jean, in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. He then earned a bachelor’s degree in space science and a master’s degree in physics at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario. At 27, he became a CF-18 pilot, a combat aircraft capable of carrying out several different missions in various tactical fighter squadrons.
In 2009, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) selected him as an astronaut, along with David Saint-Jacques. In 2017, NASA entrusted him with the astronaut training of new recruits.
Before being assigned to the Artemis II mission, Jeremy Hansen distinguished himself as a liaison officer with the crew of the International Space Station at the Mission Control Center in Houston. “Given his expertise, his experiences and the tasks he took on, he seemed particularly suited for this mission,” commented Mathieu Caron, director of the Astronauts, Life Sciences and Space Medicine section at the CSA. , from Houston where the four astronauts of the Artemis II mission had just been presented, including Canadian Jeremy Hansen and three Americans: engineer Christina Koch, pilot Victor Glover and Reid Wiseman, who will be the mission commander.
During the ceremony announcing his appointment to the Artemis II team, Mr. Hansen praised the spirit of openness of the United States, which chose to partner with Canada for this mission. Canada also participates in the Artemis program by providing the Canadarm3. The European Space Agency and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency are also making important contributions.
Four Canadian astronauts were medically and technically fit for the challenge, Mr. Caron continued: in addition to Jeremy Hansen, there was engineer Jennifer Sidey-Gibbons, 34, the test pilot and lieutenant-colonel of Royal Canadian Air Force Joshua Kutryk, 41, and David Saint-Jacques, 53, astrophysicist, doctor and engineer.
Within the Artemis crew, Jeremy Hansen is assigned as a mission specialist, but the mission is still in development. There are still many aspects to be determined, including the sharing of tasks. “During the next 18 to 24 months, we will carry out various simulations [de la séquence des manoeuvres à effectuer] while taking into account the contingencies in order to be ready for any eventuality when the astronauts are on board the capsule Orion “said Mr. Caron.
The Artemis II mission will last about ten days. The crew will take off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The capsule should reach an altitude of 70,000 km. At this altitude, which is significantly higher than that of 400 km at which the international space station is sailing, the crew will perform an orbit around the Earth for approximately 24 hours during which it will be ensured that all the systems of the capsule Orion are functioning correctly. Then the astronauts will head to the Moon. A four-day trip will allow them to approach the Moon, then circumnavigate it before returning to Earth in four days. “The main objective of this mission is to ensure that all systems of the capsule and the launch system function properly with astronauts on board. We saw with Artemis I [mission inhabitée] that everything was fine. Now, we will perform a manned flight to check the maneuverability of the capsule in manual mode, the instruments on board and everything we will need for the next Artemis missions,” explained Mr. Caron.
Remember that the objective of the Artemis program is to establish a lasting base on the surface of the Moon. This base will be a springboard for future expeditions to Mars. “It will be [Artemis II] man’s second step to Mars,” astronaut Victor Glover said during his presentation to the public.
It is during the Artemis III mission that astronauts will tread the lunar ground. NASA has planned to install in orbit around the Moon the lunar space station Gateway, which will act as a gateway, a base from which astronauts will explore the surface of the Moon. This station will describe an eccentric orbit around the Moon which will allow it to be always visible from Earth.
“We are aiming for a launch of the Artemis II mission in November 2024, however NASA will take the time it takes to ensure that it fully understands the data received from the Artemis I mission. [qui a eu lieu du 16 novembre au 11 décembre 2022] so that Artemis II takes off safely for a successful mission,” said Mr. Caron.