Canadians gathered in classrooms, science centres and living rooms Wednesday across the country to celebrate the launch of Artemis II, a mission many see as a symbol of hope and discovery.
The anticipation had been building nationwide, with watch parties and themed displays appearing in cities including Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary.
The mission, featuring Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, has sparked a sense of pride and curiosity about space exploration. Hansen, a 50-year-old from London, Ont., is the first non-American to travel beyond low Earth orbit.
Four astronauts — including Hansen — aboard the Orion spacecraft lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:35 p.m. Eastern time, shortly after the two-hour launch window opened. Hansen was joined by veteran NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch.
“Liftoff,” NASA’s official livestream announcer said as Orion’s rockets fired and the spacecraft began to travel skyward. “The crew of Artemis II now bound for the moon.”
The 10-day mission is expected to take humans the farthest they’ve ever gone before in space and will see humanity travel to the moon for the first time in more than 50 years.
‘Jeremy is going to see the moon and earth like no other human being has’
Dozens of people gathered to watch the launch outside of Ottawa’s National Arts Centre, where a livestream was displayed on the Kipnes Lantern, a five-storey glass tower.
The crowd counted down the 10 seconds until the launch and cheered at takeoff. Many people yelled and groaned as a public bus drove in front of the building with less than a minute before the launch.
Victoria McTaggart, who was at the watch event, said she has followed Hansen’s career for several years and that this is “such a memorable occasion for him.”
“We should all be very proud of the effort that he and his family have put into this,” she said. “There’s so much science that we learn from all of this, and so I think that’s really important.
“To think that a young boy from a small town … has made it this far just tells you what hard work can achieve.”
A watch event was also held at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa.
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Tim Haltigin, senior scientist of lunar and planetary science at the Canadian Space Agency, said the whole country was captivated.
“This is one of the greatest moments potentially in the history of Canadian space exploration, so for sure everyone’s really, really ready to go,” he said before the launch.
“This is really a celebration not just for Jeremy, for the Canadian Space Agency, this is a celebration for Canada, the entire space program.”
In Toronto, students followed the countdown closely, with some reflecting on how the mission is reshaping their view of what’s possible.
“It changes our perspective in terms of looking at it as a place that’s possible to be,” said Grade 11 student Lovely Gebeyehu.
Across the country, similar scenes played out as Canadians of all ages turned their attention skyward for what is being described as this generation’s moon mission.
In Vancouver, people met at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, while Halifax residents watched the launch from the Discovery Centre.
Experts say Artemis II represents more than just a return to lunar orbit — it could lay the groundwork for deeper space exploration.
“Will it be in the next 10 years? Maybe not. The next 50? Definitely,” said Halifax-based astronomer John Read, referring to the possibility of missions to other planets.
At science centres and planetariums, the launch has become a celebration of exploration, with many pointing to Hansen’s role as a source of inspiration for young Canadians.
“It’s going to be the first Canadian. It feels a little bit closer to home,” said Malcolm van Stralen, a staff scientist at the Discovery Centre.
Ahead of the launch, King Charles sent a message to Hansen, calling the moment historic and praising his “courage, discipline and vision.” Hansen said he was “deeply touched” by the letter.
For longtime space enthusiasts, the mission carries echoes of earlier milestones.
Amateur astronomer Wayne Harasimovitch said he has followed space exploration since the Sputnik and Apollo eras, and sees Artemis II as another defining moment.
“Jeremy’s going to see the moon and the earth like no other human being has ever seen it before. That’s the inspiration,” he said.
Following liftoff, the Orion spacecraft is expected to spend about 10 days in space, testing systems critical for future missions.
“There are a ton of redundancies on board the spacecraft, they’re pretty much ready for anything,” Read said.
Harasimovitch said his hope is simple: “I’m just hoping everything goes well, and we have a good, safe mission.”
In a message shared ahead of the launch, Hansen thanked Canadians for their support.
“What an honour it is to represent our nation, on humanity’s return to the moon,” he said.
For many watching, the mission marks not just a technological milestone, but the beginning of a new chapter in space exploration — one that Canadians across the country are eager to be part of.
–with files from The Canadian Press
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