For the Australian politician, see Jeremy Hanson.
Colonel
Jeremy Hansen
CD FRCGS
Hansen wearing an orange uniform
Hansen in 2023
Born
Jeremy Roger Hansen

(1976-01-27) January 27, 1976 (age 50)
London, Ontario, Canada
Status Active
Alma mater Royal Military College (BSc, MSc)
Spouse Catherine Hansen
Children 3
Awards Canadian Forces' Decoration (2006)
Space career
CSA astronaut
Time in space
3 days, 1 hour, 37 minutes [refresh]
(currently in space)
Selection
  • 2009 CSA Group
  • NASA Group 20 (2009)
Missions Artemis II
Mission insignia
Military career
Allegiance Canada
Branch Royal Canadian Air Force
Service years 1994–present
Rank Colonel

Jeremy Roger Hansen CD FRCGS (born January 27, 1976) is a Canadian astronaut, fighter pilot, physicist and aquanaut. He was selected to join the Canadian Space Agency in the 2009 CSA selection along with David Saint-Jacques. Prior to his selection as one of Canada's astronauts, Hansen was a Royal Canadian Air Force captain, piloting the CF-18 fighter jet at CFB Cold Lake, Alberta. He has since been promoted to the rank of colonel.

On April 1, 2026, Hansen launched as a crew member of the Artemis II mission, which is planned to conduct a lunar flyby.[1] He became the first non-American astronaut to travel beyond low Earth orbit and, if the mission continues to be successful, the first to travel to the vicinity of the Moon.

Early life and education

Hansen was born on January 27, 1976, in London, Ontario, and raised on a farm near Ailsa Craig, until moving to Ingersoll for his high school education.

At age 12, he joined 614 Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron in London, Ontario.

After graduating from Ingersoll District Collegiate Institute in Ingersoll, Ontario, Hansen attended the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario, where he completed a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in space science in 1999 with First Class Honours.

Hansen later completed a Master of Science degree in physics at the Royal Military College in 2000, with a research focus on wide field of view satellite tracking.[2]

Career

In 2013, Hansen served as cavenaut into the ESA CAVES training in Sardinia, alongside Satoshi Furukawa, Michael Barratt, Jack Fischer, Aleksei Ovchinin and Paolo Nespoli.[3]

On June 10, 2014, NASA announced that Hansen would serve as an aquanaut aboard the Aquarius underwater laboratory during the NEEMO 19 undersea exploration mission, which began on September 7, 2014, and lasted seven days.[4][5]

Official crew portrait for Artemis II, from left: NASA Astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and Hansen

On April 3, 2023, Hansen was announced to become the first Canadian to travel to the vicinity of the Moon,[6] as part of the Artemis II mission, which launched on April 1, 2026.

Personal life

Hansen is married to Catherine Hansen, a medical doctor and expert in women's health, and has three children.[2]

Honours and awards

  • Canadian Forces' Decoration – 12 years of service (October 2006)
  • Canadian air force pilot wings (May 2002)
  • Clancy Scheldrup Memorial Trophy – outstanding graduate on the Basic Flying Course (2001)
  • Air Cadet League of Canada Award – top air force graduate from the Royal Military College of Canada (May 1999)
  • Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society (FRCGS)
  • Gold Medal of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society
  • Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012)[7]
  • King Charles III Coronation Medal – British version for contribution to the coronation (May 2023)
  • Canada's flag bearer for the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla[8]
  • Calgary Stampede Parade Marshal (2023)[9]

References

  1. ^ Low, Lauren E. (April 1, 2026). "Liftoff! NASA Launches Astronauts on Historic Artemis Moon Mission". NASA. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
  2. ^ a b "Astronaut Jeremy Hansen's biography". Canadian Space Agency. February 2, 2023. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  3. ^ Sauro, Francesco; De Waele, Jo; Payler, Samuel J.; Vattano, Marco; Sauro, Francesco Maria; Turchi, Leonardo; Bessone, Loredana (July 1, 2021). "Speleology as an analogue to space exploration: The ESA CAVES training programme". Acta Astronautica. 184: 150–166. Bibcode:2021AcAau.184..150S. doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2021.04.003. hdl:11585/819077. ISSN 0094-5765. S2CID 234819922.
  4. ^ Buck, Joshua; Jeffs, William (August 7, 2017) [Originally published June 10, 2014]. Lewis, Robert (ed.). "NASA Announces Two Upcoming Undersea Missions" (Press release). 14-158. NASA. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  5. ^ Bergin, Chris (June 11, 2014). "NEEMO returns with two new underwater missions". NASASpaceflight. Retrieved June 24, 2014.
  6. ^ Mortillaro, Nicole (April 3, 2023). "'It is glorious,' says astronaut Jeremy Hansen, announced as 1st Canadian to go to the Moon". CBC News . Archived from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  7. ^ "Major Jeremy Roger Hansen". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved January 16, 2026.
  8. ^ "Prime Minister announces Canadian delegation to the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III". Office of the Prime Minister of Canada. May 3, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  9. ^ "CALGARY STAMPEDE PARADE MARSHAL". Calgary Stampede. June 14, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
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