Jeremy Hansen retiring from Canadian Space Agency for air force reserve role

Colonel Jeremy Hansen, the Canadian astronaut who secured his place in history as the first non-American to venture beyond low-Earth orbit, announced on Monday, 6 July 2026, that he will retire from his full-time position at the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). The transition is scheduled to take effect in September 2026, concluding a 17-year tenure that reached its zenith during the Artemis II mission.

Hansen, 50, will not be leaving public service entirely. He plans to transition into a reservist role within the Royal Canadian Air Force. This shift allows him the flexibility to pursue external professional opportunities while remaining available to support the Canadian Armed Forces when required. Describing the move in a social media statement, Hansen characterized the arrangement as a deliberate launchpad designed to leave the door open for creative, ongoing ways to support and enable the vital work happening in Canada with respect to space.

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The announcement follows a period of global attention for the London, Ontario native, who participated in the April 2026 lunar flyby alongside NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch. That 10-day mission, which launched on 1 April 2026, saw the crew travel more than 406,000 kilometres from Earth. It marked the first time humans had ventured toward the moon since the final Apollo mission in 1972, providing critical data on the Orion spacecraft’s life support and navigation systems in deep-space conditions.

A Legacy of Firsts

Hansen’s career has been defined by a series of notable milestones. Recruited into the astronaut corps in 2009, he graduated from candidate training in 2011. Before his lunar voyage, he served as a capcom at NASA’s mission control in Houston, communicating directly with crews on the International Space Station.

His role in the Artemis II mission earned him distinction as the first person to speak French while en route to the moon. Reflecting on the experience, Hansen noted that while the technical aspects of the flight were memorable, the emotional weight of the journey was paramount. In footage captured by National Geographic, Hansen and commander Reid Wiseman discussed the moving moment the crew collectively decided to name a lunar crater after Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll, who died in 2020.

Prime Minister Mark Carney praised Hansen’s contributions in an official statement, noting that his service helped Canada become the second nation to send an explorer to the moon. Colonel Hansen united millions of Canadians around a single mission and pushed the boundaries of what we believed was possible, Carney stated.

The Future of the CSA Astronaut Corps

Hansen’s departure will leave the Canadian Space Agency with three active astronauts: David Saint-Jacques, Joshua Kutryk, and Jenni Gibbons. The agency’s roster remains busy, with Kutryk currently preparing for a mission to the International Space Station as part of Crew-13, scheduled for launch this September. Meanwhile, Jenni Gibbons, who supported the Artemis II mission from mission control at the Johnson Space Center, continues to hold a key role in ongoing NASA operations.

Hansen leaves behind a lasting institutional footprint. Following his return from the lunar mission, he spent significant time engaging with policymakers and the public to promote the value of space exploration. As he moves into his new capacity as a reservist, he emphasized his continued commitment to the sector, stating, I am as determined as ever to push that work forward.

The impact of the Artemis II mission, and Hansen’s role within it, continues to be recognized at the legislative level as well. A federal bill currently under consideration in the United States, the Artemis II Congressional Gold Medal Act, seeks to award the four crewmembers the Congressional Gold Medal. If successful, it would be the first time a space crew has received the honor since 2009.

What to Watch Next

• September 2026: Jeremy Hansen begins his new role as a reservist with the Royal Canadian Air Force; Joshua Kutryk is scheduled to launch with Crew-13.
• Early 2028: Artemis IV is currently the designated mission for the next crewed lunar landing, aiming to reach the lunar South Pole.

For those tracking the evolution of the Canadian space program, Hansen’s shift into a reserve capacity marks a transition from active flight status to an ambassadorial and advisory role, ensuring that his experience gained during the deepest human spaceflight in history remains accessible to future generations of explorers.