A Canadian Is Going To The F***ing Moon, Guys

That's one small step for man, one giant leap for Canada, eh? For the first time, a Canadian astronaut will take part in a NASA mission around the Moon. The astronaut, Jeremy Hansen, is one of four who will lead Artemis II, the second in a series of three lunar missions whose goal is to lay the groundwork for an enduring human presence on Earth's natural satellite.

Artemis II won't include a lunar landing. It will be a test flight of NASA's Orion spacecraft, which is specifically designed for moon missions. According to the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Artemis II will orbit Earth twice before zipping around the moon and using its gravity to "slingshot around the back side and return to Earth."

The CSA notes the Artemis II crew is poised to set a record for the "farthest human travel beyond the far side of the moon." They will also be the first humans to embark on a lunar mission since 1972.

It's expected to launch in May 2024.

A subsequent mission, Artemis III, is expected to include a lunar landing sometime in the second half of the 2020s. NASA has committed to enlisting a diverse crew, which could mean the first woman and person of colour on the moon.