Artemis II Crew Approaches Moon: A Historic Journey Beyond Apollo

Sat Apr 04 2026 17:08:15 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

As NASA's Artemis II mission pushes further into space than any prior crewed lunar flyby, the astronauts received a warm tribute from Canada. Discover the significance of their journey and what it means for future space exploration.

The Artemis II mission, featuring three American astronauts and one from Canada, is on a historic path to the moon with a projected flyby on Monday. Celebrated as Canada's first lunar astronaut, Jeremy Hansen, and crew aim to capture stunning images of the lunar far side while setting a record distance for human space travel. Their nearly 10-day journey marks the beginning of NASA's plans for sustainable moon exploration ahead of a potential landing in 2028.

Now more than halfway to the moon, the Artemis II astronauts received enthusiastic support from across Canada on Saturday as they prepared for their historic lunar flyby, aiming to venture further into space than even the legendary Apollo astronauts.

Comprising three Americans and one Canadian, the crew is set to reach the destination on Monday, capturing unprecedented imagery of the elusive lunar far side during their journey. This marks the first crewed lunar mission in over five decades, rekindling the spirit of NASA's Apollo program.

The Artemis II mission is expected to break records by covering more than 252,000 miles (400,000 kilometers) from Earth before making a U-turn behind the moon and returning home without entering lunar orbit, a record previously held by Apollo 13.

Highlighting Canada's contribution to this monumental mission, astronaut Jeremy Hansen expressed pride in taking this historic step for his country. Today, he is making history for Canada, said Lisa Campbell, President of the Canadian Space Agency. As we watch him taking this bold step into the unknown, let his journey remind us that Canada’s future is written by those who dare to reach for more.

In a live linkup, Hansen shared his excitement about the extraordinary views he's been experiencing from the NASA Orion capsule.

The crew, comprising Hansen, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, represents a significant milestone as the first lunar astronauts since Apollo 17 in 1972. Notably, Koch is the first woman to travel to the moon, while Glover is the first Black astronaut to achieve this feat.

This nearly 10-day mission culminates in a Pacific splashdown on April 10, and signifies the first step in NASA’s ambitious plans to establish a sustainable moon base, with aims for a lunar landing by 2028.

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