Updated

Updated · CBC Sports · Jul 6

Jeremy Hansen Retires From Canadian Space Agency 3 Months After Artemis II Moon Flight

Updated

Updated · CBC Sports · Jul 6

Jeremy Hansen Retires From Canadian Space Agency 3 Months After Artemis II Moon Flight

Q: After a historic Moon mission, why is Jeremy Hansen stepping back from a full-time astronaut role?

Jeremy Hansen is stepping back because he says he wants to pursue new professional opportunities after completing the defining mission of his career, while still remaining involved in Canada’s space effort. The Canadian Space Agency said Hansen will leave his full-time astronaut post in September 2026, about three months after Artemis II, the mission that made him the first Canadian to fly around the Moon. In his own statement, Hansen said his “commitment to seeing Canada thrive remains absolute,” but that after 32 years of military service and 17 years as a CSA astronaut, he is ready for “new challenges.” This is not a full break from space work. Hansen will move into a reservist role with the Royal Canadian Air Force, a position the RCAF created in a way that allows him to keep supporting Canada’s space ambitions. He has described that role as a deliberate way to leave the door open for ongoing, creative contributions to the country’s space program. Neither the CSA nor Hansen pointed to any dispute, health issue, or mission-related problem behind the decision. The available information indicates it is a planned career transition following a historic milestone, not a forced departure. He is expected to remain a public ambassador for Canadian space exploration even after leaving the agency full time.

3 articles · Updated · CBC Sports · Jul 6

September 2026 will mark Jeremy Hansen’s exit from the Canadian Space Agency’s full-time astronaut corps, the agency said, after 17 years as an astronaut and 32 years of military service.
Hansen said he is leaving to pursue new professional opportunities while remaining involved in Canada’s space efforts through a Royal Canadian Air Force reservist role.
April’s Artemis II mission made Hansen the first Canadian to take part in a lunar mission, flying around the moon with NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch.
Three active astronauts will remain at the CSA after his retirement: David Saint-Jacques, Joshua Kutryk and Jenni Gibbons; Kutryk is scheduled to head to the International Space Station in September.