Artemis II crew shares lessons on risk, teamwork and Canada’s role in deep space

The Artemis II crew – Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen and American crewmates Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover and Mission Specialist Christina Koch – completed a ten‑day lunar flyby after launching on 1 April 2026 from Florida. The mission, which took the astronauts farther from Earth than any before, was followed by a public Q&A in Montreal hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal.

During the event the crew stressed the importance of close teamwork, saying they "committed to developing a close relationship and worked on it constantly, like building and exercising a new muscle." They noted the use of behavioural‑health experts to practice difficult conversations and to build communication skills. Koch explained that training for "low‑probability, high‑stakes situations" helped the crew stay calm, while Glover highlighted repetitive practice to make basic tasks automatic. Wiseman linked the mission’s risk to personal priorities, urging people to “call your old friends… and make sure everything is in order.” Hansen warned that failure is not an option, asserting that "we will not stop when we meet failure – we will just keep creating a solution."

The crew later received a hero’s welcome at the Canadian Space Agency headquarters, where Hansen highlighted Canada’s contribution as “the second country in the world to send a human into deep space.” Koch praised Canada’s expertise with the Canadarm2 and said, "I can tell you sincerely, this feels like home." The astronauts emphasized that continued Canadian involvement and industry partnership will be crucial for future lunar and deep‑space projects.