After 54 years, humanity is finally returning to the moon — and this time, a Canadian is leading the charge. It’s been over five decades since the last Apollo mission touched down on the lunar surface, leaving humanity grounded in low-Earth orbit ever since. But that’s all about to change with the imminent launch of Artemis II, a historic mission that will propel us back to the moon and beyond. And this is the part most people miss: Canada is playing a pivotal role, with astronaut Jeremy Hansen becoming the first non-American to venture into deep space, marking a monumental achievement for the nation.
As a professor, explorer, and planetary geologist, I’ve had the privilege of training Hansen and other astronauts in geology and planetary science over the past 15 years. I’m also part of the Artemis III Science Team and lead Canada’s first-ever lunar rover mission. This isn’t just another space mission—it’s a bold leap into the future, with Artemis II serving as a critical stepping stone in NASA’s ambitious plan to establish a lunar base and eventually send humans to Mars. But here’s where it gets controversial: Is this the best use of resources, or should we focus on solving Earth’s problems first?
Scheduled to launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Artemis II will carry Hansen and three American crewmates aboard the Orion spacecraft, perched atop NASA’s mighty Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. This is the first time humans will ride the SLS, the most powerful rocket ever built, capable of hauling over 27 metric tonnes of payload to the moon. The crew has aptly named their Orion capsule Integrity, symbolizing trust, respect, candor, and humility—values essential for such a daring endeavor.
But what exactly will they do up there? After launch, the crew will test Integrity’s life-support systems, including a water dispenser, firefighting equipment, and—yes—a toilet. Fun fact: Apollo astronauts had to make do with “relief tubes,” but this time, comfort is part of the mission. If all goes well, the spacecraft will enter a high-Earth orbit, reaching up to 70,000 kilometers from Earth—dwarfing the International Space Station’s mere 400-kilometer orbit. The most critical phase? The Trans-Lunar Injection (TLI), where the spacecraft breaks free from Earth’s orbit and commits to its lunar journey. There’s no turning back after this point—at least not without a lunar detour. Thanks to a “free-return trajectory,” even if the engines fail, the moon’s gravity will sling the spacecraft back toward Earth.
The highlight of the mission? A lunar fly-by, where Integrity will loop around the moon’s far side, soaring 6,000 to 10,000 kilometers above its surface—farther than any Apollo mission. To borrow from Star Trek, the crew will truly go where no one has gone before, setting a new record for the farthest distance humans have ever traveled from Earth. But is this achievement worth the risk and cost?
Artemis II is a testament to international collaboration, with 60 countries signing the Artemis Accords, pledging to explore space peacefully. While NASA leads the charge, this mission underscores the power of global cooperation—a message we desperately need in today’s divided world. As Integrity returns from the moon’s far side, I hope it inspires humanity to unite for a better future, echoing astronaut Bill Anders’s profound words: “We came all this way to explore the moon, and the most important thing is that we discovered the Earth.”
What do you think? Is the Artemis program a necessary leap forward, or should we focus on Earth’s challenges first? Share your thoughts in the comments!
