CP NewsAlert: Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen launches to the moon on Artemis II

By Canadian Press on April 1, 2026.

CAPE CANAVERAL — With a fiery roar from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen launched to the moon aboard the Artemis II today.

The 50-year-old from London, Ont., is serving as the mission specialist for Artemis II and will become the first non-American to travel beyond low Earth orbit.

He is joined by veteran NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch.

The historic 10-day lunar fly-around will see humanity travel to the moon for the first time in more than 50 years.

It’s the first time that humans will see the back side of the moon.

The launch, which was originally scheduled for February, saw issues with the flight termination system in the hours before the successful launch.

More coming.

Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press

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