Jeremy Hansen

Jeremy Roger Hansen (born January 27, 1976) is a Royal Canadian Air Force colonel and CSA astronaut. As a mission specialist on Artemis II in April 2026, he became the only person not from the United States to travel beyond low Earth orbit and to travel to the vicinity of the Moon. He is also among the humans who have travelled the farthest from Earth, having broken Apollo 13's distance record with the rest of the Artemis II crew.

Hansen was selected by the Canadian Space Agency in the 2009 astronaut recruitment alongside David Saint-Jacques. Before joining the astronaut corps, Hansen served as a Royal Canadian Air Force captain, piloting the CF-18 fighter jet at CFB Cold Lake, Alberta and was later promoted to the rank of colonel.

In July 2026, Hansen announced his retirement from the CSA's astronaut program in September, planning to pursue new opportunities in Canada's space program.

Early life and education Jeremy Roger Hansen was born on January 27, 1976, in London, Ontario, to Nancy Good and Gary Hansen. His paternal grandfather Magnus Hansen emigrated from Denmark to Canada in 1929. He was raised on a farm near Ailsa Craig before moving to Ingersoll for his high school education.

At age 12, he joined 614 Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron in London, Ontario.

After graduating from Ingersoll District Collegiate Institute, Hansen attended the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario, where he completed a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in space science in 1999 with First Class Honours.

He later earned a Master of Science degree in physics from the Royal Military College in 2000, with research focused on wide field‑of‑view satellite tracking.

On June 10, 2014, NASA announced that Hansen would take part in the NEEMO 19 undersea exploration mission as an aquanaut aboard the Aquarius underwater laboratory. The mission began on September 7, 2014, and lasted seven days.

Artemis II

On April 3, 2023, Hansen was announced as the first Canadian to travel to the vicinity of the Moon, as part of the Artemis II mission. On April 1, 2026, he launched as a mission specialist of Artemis II and flew around the Moon on April 6 before returning to earth via splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on April 10. He became the first non‑American astronaut to travel beyond low Earth orbit and the first to journey to the vicinity of the Moon. He is also, along with the other Artemis II crew members, among the humans who have travelled the farthest from Earth.

Retirement from the Canadian Space Agency Hansen announced his retirement from the astronaut program of the CSA on July 6, 2026. Hansen is interested in Indigenous knowledge. His mission patch for Artemis II was designed by Anishinaabe artist Henry Guimond of Sagkeeng First Nation, and references the Teachings of the Seven Grandfathers. His hobbies include mountain biking, rock climbing, and sailboating.

Honours and awards Canadian Forces' Decoration – 12 years of service (October 2006) Clancy Scheldrup Memorial Trophy – outstanding graduate on the Basic Flying Course (2001) Air Cadet League of Canada Award – top air force graduate from the Royal Military College of Canada (May 1999) Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society (FRCGS) Gold Medal of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society (2014) King Charles III Coronation Medal – British version for contribution to the coronation (May 2023) Canada's flag bearer for the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla Calgary Stampede Parade Marshal (2023) Congressional Space Medal of Honor (2026)