What to know
- Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen will appear at the CNE’s opening ceremony on Friday, Aug. 21.
- Hansen will take part in a public Q&A about the Artemis II mission at noon in Enercare Centre Hall B.
- The new CNE Space Experience will showcase Canada’s role in Artemis II, including mission images and a 20-foot illuminated Moon.
- The 147th CNE runs from Aug. 21 to Sept. 7.
He’s no longer in space, but this week, Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen will be making a much more local appearance at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), where visitors will have the chance to meet him and hear about his historic Artemis II mission.
Just four months ago, Hansen made history as part of the Artemis II crew, which travelled more than one million kilometres through space and ventured beyond the far side of the Moon.
Hansen became the first Canadian, and the first non-American, to fly to the Moon. Now, he’s trading the lunar landscape for the CNE, where he will join the opening ceremony on Friday to officially kick off the 147th edition of the fair.
Artemis II marked a major milestone in NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to establish a long-term human presence at the Moon and prepare for future missions to Mars. Hansen’s place on the crew also represented a significant moment for Canada’s space program, making him the first Canadian to travel beyond low-Earth orbit.
Canada is a major international partner in the Artemis program, with the Canadian Space Agency contributing robotics technology to future lunar missions. That includes Canadarm3, a next-generation robotic system being developed for Gateway, the planned space station that will orbit the Moon.
Hansen will be joined at the opening ceremonies by Holland, CNE Association President Jennifer Ward, the Hon. Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature, the Hon. Chi Nguyen, MP for Spadina-Harbourfront, and Toronto Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik.
The opening ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. at the Princes’ Gates.
Following the ceremony, Hansen will take part in a public Q&A, giving CNE visitors the opportunity to ask him about the Artemis II mission and Canada’s role in the return to the Moon.
The Q&A will take place at noon at the CNE Space Experience in Enercare Centre Hall B.
But that’s not all. New at the CNE this year is The CNE Space Experience, where guests can discover Canada’s vital role in the Artemis II mission and learn more about the future of space exploration.
The exhibition will feature images taken during the mission, along with a 20-foot illuminated Moon. Projections showcasing the lunar phases will culminate in hourly aerial acrobatic performances.
The CNE Space Experience will be located in Enercare Centre, Hall B, Northside.
The CNE runs from Aug. 21 to Sept. 7.
