Carney welcomes Artemis II crew, says moon mission inspired Canadians

Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed the Artemis II astronauts to Ottawa on Wednesday, telling the crew their flight around the moon had become a national source of inspiration.

Meeting the astronauts in his office, Carney framed the mission as more than a technical milestone. “Thank you for what you've already done. Thank you for inspiring us all,” he said, calling the journey a lesson in teamwork, dedication, courage and human ingenuity.

The visit is part of a three-day Canadian stop between Wednesday and Friday, with events planned in Ottawa and Montreal. The astronauts are scheduled to speak publicly about the mission, meet students, engage with Canadian space-sector stakeholders and take part in a limited number of interviews.

A Canadian role in a wider lunar program

Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who flew on Artemis II, was joined by his backup, Jenni Gibbons, who did not fly, and NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch. Wiseman served as commander, Glover as pilot and Koch as mission specialist.

The Artemis II crew launched from Earth on April 1, flew around the moon and returned after a 10-day mission. The flight was described as taking its crew farther from Earth than any humans in history, and it forms part of NASA’s broader plan to return astronauts to the lunar surface and eventually support crewed missions to Mars.

Carney acknowledged the danger involved, saying the mission carried “risk for a reason” because it could open the door to larger opportunities.

Hansen said the reception in Ottawa showed the strength of Canada’s connection to the mission. “This is just shining a light back on Canada about what we are capable of on the world stage,” he said, adding that Artemis II was one step in a longer journey.

Symbols from the mission and Parliament

During the meeting, Hansen gave Carney a framed maple leaf patch that flew with the crew. Carney presented Hansen with the Canadian flag that had flown over Parliament’s Peace Tower on the day the Orion spacecraft splashed down after the mission.

The crew’s Ottawa schedule included a public event at the National Arts Centre focused on humanity’s return to the moon, followed by an evening appearance at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., with parliamentarians and other stakeholders.

The Canadian visit keeps attention on what comes after Artemis II: how the mission’s success feeds into the next steps of the lunar program, and how Canada’s space sector positions itself in that longer effort.