What to know
- Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke with the Artemis II crew, including Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, during a live call from space.
- The astronauts highlighted teamwork, collaboration and calculated risk as key lessons from the mission.
- Hansen encouraged young people to take thoughtful risks and embrace failure as part of growth.
- The conversation also included lighter moments, including favourite wake-up songs and confirmation that maple syrup is on board.
From maple syrup jokes to reflections on teamwork and risk, a call between Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Artemis II astronauts offered a glimpse into what it’s like to visit space.
Carney spoke with the crew of Artemis II on Wednesday, including Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, alongside commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialist Christina Koch.
The crew is currently on their way back to Earth after having circled around the moon in the first manned lunar mission in more than 50 years.
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Opening the call, Carney reflected on the pride many Canadians are feeling, especially seeing Hansen as the first Canadian to travel into space.
“I just want to have a chance, if I may. I’m thrilled, I’m absolutely thrilled to be speaking with you. We’ve all been watching and inspired by what you’re doing,” the prime minister said.
That sense of collaboration quickly became a focal point of the conversation.
“For me, it’s just important to communicate that I am so proud of Canada. Canada is the one that did the work to create this opportunity to be in outer space,” Hansen said.
“You can see we got our flags here together. We’re better together,” he added moments later.
The rest of the crew echoed that message.
“Willingness is a huge ingredient in a successful team,” Glover said.
Koch pointed out that intentional partnerships push missions forward.
“When you go together, when you bring in partners and contributors that are all excited about the same mission but have different talents… you can go so much further,” she said.
Carney also brought up a line Hansen had previously shared, that the mission is “a risk for a good reason.”
Hansen expanded on that idea, stressing that risk is necessary, but it has to be intentional.
“We do think risk is necessary, but calculated risk, well thought out risk and risk that you balance with others,” he said.
For young people watching, the astronaut emphasized collaboration in decision-making. He also acknowledged that failure is part of progress.
“We fail in this space program… We assure ourselves we’re not going to stay at rest in those failures. We’re going to push through them.”
But the conversation also had its lighter moments.
Carney joked about Canadian priorities, asking whether the crew prefers maple syrup over Nutella after a video of the hazelnut spread floating in the spaceship was shared online earlier on in the mission.
“I just wonder… that the preference is for maple syrup over Nutella on your pancakes in the morning,” Carney asked.
The answer came quickly from the crew.
“We definitely have [maple syrup] on board,” Hansen responded.
The crew also shared their favourite wake-up songs, from Queen’s “Under Pressure” to “Good morning” by Mandisa, and “Tokyo drifting” by Denzel Curry and Glass Animals, which Wiseman said is tied to family vacations with his daughters.
As the call wrapped, Carney reflected on the bigger picture.
“The example that you’re showing of how to reach, literally, for the stars, reach for the moon, it’s hugely inspiring in all walks of life.”
Carney also extended an open invitation for the crew to visit Canada, telling them they’d be welcomed for maple syrup and pancakes once they return.
The crew is scheduled to land back at the Pacific Ocean coast of San Diego, California, at about 8:07 p.m. on Friday.
