Hansen's Canada Pitch: Astronaut Returns from the Moon Full of Hope

Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen traveled 406,771 kilometers around the moon and back in April as part of the Artemis II mission. Now home, he is sharing a hopeful message about Canada and its people. On Canada Day, he was a guest of honor at a national ceremony in Ottawa attended by Prime Minister Mark Carney. Hansen says the trip changed how he sees his country, but not how he sees himself.

Even after orbiting the moon, Hansen said the most nerve-wracking thing he did recently was throw out a ceremonial first pitch at Toronto's Rogers Centre. He laughed when asked to compare it to blasting off into space: "Definitely throwing the baseball, 100 percent." He also admitted that swimming in the ocean gives him a bit of fear about what might be below the surface. These very human fears have helped Canadians feel close to their space hero.

Throughout his public tour, Hansen has kept redirecting attention away from himself. He believes astronauts are useful role models, but only because they remind people what is possible. "The reason that we do that is to shine a light back on what we are capable of as humans, but more importantly in our case, as a country," he said. His message is one of pride and possibility for all Canadians.

Hansen also spoke strongly about the value of working together as a team. He said people are too quick to criticize others when they make mistakes, and that this fear holds everyone back. "We are better together. We're better when we create," he told reporters. He hopes Canadians will take that lesson to heart in their everyday lives.

On the topic of politics, Hansen was thoughtful but unsure. He said you should never say never, but he doubted he would be a great politician. When asked who makes him starstruck, he said simply that people are just people. However, he added that he truly admires anyone who works hard and adds value to the world.