Astronaut Jeremy Hansen's post-CSA career

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Author	Topic: Astronaut Jeremy Hansen's post-CSA career
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 56771 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999	posted 07-06-2026 12:53 PM Canadian Space Agency (CSA) release Canada recognizes the career and achievements of Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen Today, the Government of Canada is recognizing Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Colonel Jeremy Hansen's outstanding contribution to Canada's space program. Colonel Hansen has announced that he will pursue new professional opportunities beginning in September 2026 while also continuing to serve as a Reservist with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Through the recent and historic Artemis II mission, Jeremy Hansen brought Canadians closer to the Moon and helped place Canada's role in human space exploration on the world stage. This achievement reflected decades of Canadian vision, ingenuity and investment in space, and affirmed Canada's role as a trusted partner in the next chapter of human space exploration. Throughout his career, Jeremy has represented Canada with leadership, dedication and professionalism. Through his work with CSA, NASA and other partners, he contributed to a historic new chapter for Canada in space. He also inspired Canadians across the country, especially young people, helping them see themselves in the future of exploration. Although his time as an active CSA astronaut is coming to an end, Jeremy Hansen leaves a lasting legacy in Canada's space program. He will continue to be recognized as an ambassador for Canada's future in space and for the spirit of discovery that drives exploration.
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 56771 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999	posted 07-06-2026 03:41 PM collectSPACE Artemis II astronaut Jeremy Hansen leaving Canadian Space Agency The first non-American to fly to the moon has announced he is retiring from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Jeremy Hansen, who in April flew as as mission specialist on NASA's Artemis II lunar flyby mission, will leave his full-time career as an astronaut in September.
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 56771 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999	posted 07-06-2026 05:06 PM Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman responded to the news on social media: Feeling grateful today for my Artemis II crewmate and one of my closest friends Jeremy Hansen. Jeremy and I have been on this journey together for 17 years. One thing that's never changed is Jeremy's character. He's thoughtful, humble, steady under pressure, and the kind of person who makes everyone around him better. Those are the qualities that make him an incredible crewmate and an even better friend. As Jeremy transitions from a full‑time role at the Canadian Space Agency, I'm proud to watch this next chapter unfold.
hbw60 Member Posts: 366 From: Registered: Aug 2018	posted 07-07-2026 12:32 AM I think he made a smart decision. As a Canadian astronaut who flew an extremely high-profile mission to the moon, his chances of making another flight are extremely low. The entire Artemis program has been plagued with constant delays. CSA astronauts won't be given representation on every future flight - and when they are, the seats will go to those who haven't yet had a chance to fly. By the time he's back at the top of the roster, many years will have passed and there will likely be new candidates deserving of a flight. Back in the Apollo era, very few astronauts lingered with the program after making a "capstone" flight, because they knew that NASA wanted to give opportunities to as many different astronauts as possible. By the time Skylab ended, I can think of only three Apollo veterans who remained to work on the Shuttle development (Young, Haise, and Mattingly). So it's not surprising at all that Hansen would prefer to move onto other career options, instead of stagnating in the astronaut office with virtually zero chances of ever flying again.
brianjbradley Member Posts: 194 From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Registered: Dec 2010	posted 07-07-2026 11:06 AM Some CSA astronauts make the decision themselves based on the age/time/flight spots rationale (Marc Garneau, Dave Williams, Chris Hadfield talked about it), while some others are told their flying days are over (Julie Payette) or are separated from the organization altogether (Roberta Bondar admitted this). I hope Jeremy was given the dignity to make the decision himself.
hbw60 Member Posts: 366 From: Registered: Aug 2018	posted 07-07-2026 10:26 PM I'm sad to hear that some of the CSA astronauts were forced out of the program. But the first thing I noticed in Brian's post was that the three people who got to make the choice were men, and the two people who were forced out were women. Possibly a coincidence, of course. But even though women have been astronauts for decades, they still have a strange spotlight cast over their careers. Their detractors automatically assume that their presence is a PR stunt rather than an earned position. And sometimes, I think even the support they get can be detrimental. When well-meaning journalists make a big deal out of something a female astronaut has accomplished, it can sometimes imply that competent women are rare enough to be newsworthy. It often has a dismissive, pat-on-the-head tone. And because women have that spotlight, it can take the spotlight from the men, which may hurt workplace relations. When Sally Ride flew her first mission, she was certainly the star of that flight. I wonder if any of her crewmates felt annoyed that so much of the media attention went to just one of the crew. And I'm sure the six women in Astronaut Group 8 faced at least some resentment within NASA for getting more media attention than the others. And even today, decades later, women astronauts still have that additional scrutiny and spotlight. I wonder if it leads to tensions that cause women to be forced out. Sorry, that got off on a tangent. But regarding Hansen, it does seem to me that he had some choice. He isn't completely leaving the program - just his "full time" role. That seems to imply that he's not been pushed out. And even if he was forced to leave, I actually do think it'd be better for him, for the reasons I mentioned in my previous post. And besides, he got to fly one of the most historic space missions in human history. He went to the Moon. His crew went farther from Earth than any other humans have. For that alone, he's one of the luckiest men in the world. Even if he wanted more, he must surely be satisfied with that legacy.
Delta7 Member Posts: 1802 From: Bluffton IN USA Registered: Oct 2007	posted 07-08-2026 06:35 AM Flight opportunities certainly weigh in on the decision to retire. During an interview about a year or so ago, Victor Glover mentioned that he thought Artemis II would be his last flight. His reasoning was that (at the time) the anticipated Artemis launch rate was 1 per year, and as such it would be a long time before his turn would come up again if he got back in line. Maybe that's changed now under the new regime.

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