Jeremy Hansen to fly on Artemis II as his hometown celebrates

Jeremy Hansen, from Ailsa Craig, is set to join NASA's Artemis II mission that could launch as early as Feb. 8; his former school and local community in southwestern Ontario have organized tributes and events ahead of the flight.

Jeremy Hansen, a native of Ailsa Craig in southwestern Ontario, is preparing to fly on NASA's Artemis II mission as the first Canadian astronaut bound for the moon. The mission could launch as early as Feb. 8, subject to weather, and will carry Hansen and U.S. crewmates on a roughly 10-day flight around the far side of the moon. During that trip the crew will gather scientific data and test the rocket and human endurance ahead of future lunar missions. People and institutions in the London area have organized tributes and events to mark the mission. Key facts: - Jeremy Hansen is originally from Ailsa Craig and will be part of NASA's Artemis II mission. - Artemis II is planned as a roughly 10-day flight around the far side of the moon and could launch as early as Feb. 8, weather permitting. - The mission will collect scientific data and test systems and crew endurance for future lunar missions and is reported to make Canada the second country to send a human into deep space. - Ingersoll District Collegiate Institute (IDCI), Hansen's former high school, has staged tributes including a drone photo of students arranged as the moon and an Artemis IDCI Explorers Club. - London musician Emm Gryner wrote a song called "Touch the Sky" celebrating Hansen's flight, and Western University professor Gordon Osinski, who trained with Hansen and is involved in Artemis III work, was invited to view the launch. Summary: Hansen's upcoming flight has prompted visible local celebration and creative tributes in his hometown and among regional institutions, reflecting community interest in the mission. The Artemis II flight is intended to advance technical and human testing ahead of Artemis III, and the precise launch date remains dependent on weather, with the earliest opportunity currently Feb. 8.