Congratulations to Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who was selected by NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to be part of the team that will travel around the Moon on Artemis II.
This is a pretty big deal. Not only will it be the first time in over 50 years that humans will visit the Moon (or leave low orbit), but Col. Hansen’s inclusion means he’s the first Canadian in deep space – and makes Canada the second country in the world (after the U.S.) to send an astronaut there, too. (Did we mention that it’s also Col. Hansen’s first space flight?)
Artemis II is scheduled to launch in late 2024. Its crew – Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist 1 Christina Hammock Koch, and Mission Specialist 2 Hansen – will spend a few days in high orbit ensuring all systems work, then fire the engine and fly by the Moon before returning to Earth. In essence, they’ll ensure that everything works properly to prepare for Artemis III – which will take humans back to the lunar surface.
These are very exciting times in the space industry. Not only are humans planning a return to the Moon, but a Canadian rover will explore the Moon and help in the search for water ice as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative.
This means that companies offering products and/or services to the space exploration sector may find opportunities in the Canadian market. We’ll keep you apprised of developments, so visit this blog often.
It seems like a good day to finish with some fun facts about our galaxy, the Milky Way. For example:
- The Milky Way is 13.6 billion years old,
- It moves at an astonishing 1.3 million miles per hour, and
- Is a warped, barred spiral, with a black hole at its centre.
Space is pretty cool.
Pexels photo