In this special episode of Explore, Canadian astronaut, engineer, and physician David Saint-Jacques shares a rare and personal perspective on what humanity’s return to the moon means for Canadians and the world.

On December 3, 2018, Saint-Jacques launched to the International Space Station, where he spent 203 days, 15 hours, and 16 minutes before returning to Earth on June 24, 2019. In this conversation, Saint-Jacques reflects on why NASA’s Artemis II mission matters, what the mission is designed to test, and how Canada’s role in lunar exploration signals a new era of international space cooperation. The episode also explores what Jeremy Hansen’s historic assignment means for Canada. 

As the first Canadian and the first non-American ever assigned to a crewed lunar mission, Hansen will circle the moon aboard the still-experimental Orion capsule, marking a major milestone in Canada’s space history. As members of the same 2009 Astronaut Class at the Canadian Space Agency, Hansen and Saint-Jacques were not only colleagues but friends.

Through this relationship, Saint-Jacques brings an intimate perspective to this moment in history, reflecting on years of shared training, deep trust, and what it takes to prepare someone, not just technically, but mentally and emotionally, for a mission of this magnitude.

Episode Highlights:

• Jeremy Hansen’s historic role on Artemis II
• What it means to be the first Canadian and first non-American on a Moon mission
• David Saint-Jacques on trust, teamwork, and astronaut life behind the scenes
• Why Artemis II is a critical step toward long-term lunar exploration