Astronaut Jeremy Hansen announces he’s leaving space agency
Canadian Space Agency astronaut and Artemis II crewmember Colonel Jeremy Hansen speaks at an event at the Halifax Central Library in Halifax.Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press
Astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who made a historic trip around the moon aboard NASA’s Artemis 2 mission in April, is leaving the Canadian Space Agency.
A statement released by the agency today says Hansen will pursue “new professional opportunities” as of September.
He will continue to serve as a reservist with the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Today, I am sharing a significant next step in my journey. This September, after 32 years of military service and 17 years as a Canadian Space Agency astronaut—culminating in the incredible privilege of flying around the Moon on Artemis II—I will be transitioning from my…
— Jeremy R. Hansen (@Astro_Jeremy) July 6, 2026
The four-person Artemis II crew – commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialists Hansen and Christina Koch -were the first human beings to go to the moon in more than 50 years.
On the trip, Hansen became the first non-American to travel beyond low Earth orbit and the first person to speak French while en route to the moon.
Hansen, 50, of London, Ont., was a fighter pilot when he was recruited by the Canadian Space Agency in 2009.
