Artemis II Astronauts Propel Towards Historic Lunar Fly-By

Sat Apr 04 2026 16:58:12 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

As Artemis II approaches the Moon, its crew celebrates Canada’s contributions. This mission marks a significant leap into space exploration, setting records and paving the way for future lunar habitation.

The Artemis II crew, including three Americans and one Canadian, are en route to their historic lunar fly-around, set to break distance records previously held by Apollo missions. Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, the first non-U.S. citizen to go to the Moon, represents a significant international collaboration. This mission is part of NASA's broader goals to establish sustainable lunar presence by the end of the decade.

The Artemis II astronauts are now more than halfway to their lunar destination, where they will undertake the first crewed lunar mission in over half a century. As they prepare for their historic journey, the Canadian Space Agency has celebrated the contribution of astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who is poised to make history as the first non-U.S. citizen to fly to the Moon.

With a crew of three Americans and one Canadian, they expect to capture stunning imagery of the Moon’s far side, as well as set a distance record by traveling more than 252,000 miles away from Earth. This ambitious mission follows in the footsteps of NASA's Apollo program, which last saw crewed lunar activity in the early 1970s.

Canadian Space Agency President Lisa Campbell expressed pride in Hansen's journey, reflecting on Canada’s role and future in space exploration. During a live address, Hansen reported breathtaking views from NASA’s Orion capsule, excitedly sharing details of the extraordinary sights he’s witnessed so far.

The Artemis II mission not only represents a collaborative effort among nations but also includes milestones such as Christina Koch being the first female astronaut to go to the Moon and Victor Glover being the first Black astronaut on a lunar mission. Their nearly 10-day adventure will conclude with a Pacific splashdown on April 10, marking a critical step toward NASA's vision of a sustainable moon base by 2028.