Astronaut Jeremy Hansen opens Canadian National Exhibition

Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen says his experiences in space left him forever changed and he wants to spend his time postretirement from the Canadian Space Agency pushing the domestic space sector forward.

Hansen, who became the first Canadian to venture to the moon and the first non-American to travel beyond low Earth orbit while flying in the historic Artemis II mission, was in Toronto to mark the opening of the Canadian National Exhibition.

Hansen says it was an honour to open the CNE and tour the fair’s space exhibition, which includes a gallery of photos from the Artemis II mission that sent humans flying by the moon for the first time since 1972.

The astronaut says Canada’s space sector will continue to grow and be an important pillar for the economy, and it’s important to inspire the next generation to get involved and be the “work force of the future.”

Three months after Hansen and his three American crewmates returned from their lunar flyby, he announced he was retiring from Canada’s astronaut program.

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Hansen didn’t say exactly what retirement has in store for him, but he says he’ll continue to “share the moon joy” by meeting with audiences and speaking about space, while he figures out how to best use his experience to keep contributing to Canada’s space industry.

“I believe very passionately about the opportunity we have in space for the country,” Hansen told The Canadian Press. “We have a lot to celebrate as a space faring nation, yet there’s always the next step.”

Canada has made integral contributions to space exploration, including designing the robotic Canadarm on the International Space Station and producing vital hardware for the James Webb Space Telescope. The federal government estimated in 2024 that the space sector added $3.8-billion to the country’s economy.

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Despite his upcoming retirement, Hansen says he would “100 per cent go back to space” if asked.

“I saw some things and witnessed some things that will be with me forever,” he said. “The views out the window were literally to die for.”

Hansen and his Artemis crewmates travelled farther into space than any other astronauts as they whipped around the far side of the moon, setting eyes on its parts never before seen by humans.

He said it was also “extraordinary” to view Canada and Hudson’s Bay from the windows of the spacecraft.

The astronaut said the experience of space flight left him with a “reinvigorated” passion for humanity.

“You just can’t look back at Earth and not realize what a treasure we have in this planet,” he said.