FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, A CANADIAN IS TAKING A MOONSHOT.
IT'S PART OF THE 4-PERSON NASA MISSION CALLED ARTEMIS II, THAT WILL RETURN HUMANS TO LUNAR
ORBIT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN 50 YEARS.
HE IS CANADIAN SPACE AGENCY ASTRONAUT JEREMY HANSEN AND HE JOINS US NOW FROM HOUSTON,
TEXAS.
I GATHER, JEREMY, IN HOUSTON WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS TODAY IS THAT FAIR TO SAY
>> Jeremy: NONE YET.
GREAT TO JOIN YOU >> Steve: IT'S A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU HERE.
LET'S SET UP OUR DISCUSSION.
SHELDON, IF YOU WOULD, LET'S ROLL IT.
>> THE ARTEMIS II MISSION, THE FIRST VOYAGE TO THE MOON SINCE APOLLO MISSIONS ENDED MORE THAN
50 YEARS AGO, WILL CONSIST OF 3 AMERICANS AND ONE CANADIAN.
(cheering).
>> HE IS A MASTER OF SCIENCE IN PHYSICS AND F18 PILOT AND A CANADIAN ASTRONAUT.
YOUR MISSION SPECIALIST, JEREMY HANSEN.
(cheering).
>> Steve: AND WE DISSOLVE TO A PICTURE OF YOU AND YOUR CREW AND FORGIVE ME I AM GOING TO START
WITH THE OBVIOUS QUESTION, WHICH WAS, HOW WAS THAT DAY?
>> Jeremy: THAT WAS A TERRIFIC DAY.
FOR MYSELF PERSONALLY, IT WAS REALLY AN INSPIRING DAY.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR ME, WHAT IT HIGHLIGHTED WAS JUST HOW MUCH CANADA HAS CONTRIBUTED TO
THIS INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP THAT WE ARE INVITED TO BE ON THAT STAGE, HIGHLIGHTED THE WAY
WE WERE.
CANADIAN FLAGS FLYING.
THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THOUSANDS OF CANADIANS OVER DECADES TO BRING CANADA TO THIS POINT, JUST
SHARED ON THAT INTERNATIONAL STAGE, I THOUGHT, WAS SOMETHING TO BEHOLD.
>> Steve: AT WHAT POINT DOES IT ACTUALLY SINK IN WITH YOU THAT YOU WILL BE THE FIRST
CANADIAN EVER TO TAKE A SHOT AT THE MOON?
>> Jeremy: YEAH.
I THINK MAYBE TO BE HASN'T COMPLETELY SUNK IN.
CERTAINLY EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE I'LL LOOK UP AT THE MOON AND I'LL BE LIKE WOW, I'M REALLY
GOING THERE AND I HAVE TO CONVINCE MYSELF THAT IT'S TRUE AND IT'S REALLY HAPPENING.
RIGHT NOW IT SEEMS LIKE WORDS, BUT I KNOW.
I MEAN WE'RE ALREADY BEEN WORKING ON IT.
WE'RE STARTING TO DIG INTO SOME OF THIS STUFF.
I HAVE E-MAILS ABOUT TRAINING PLANS AND YEAH, CANADA IS REALLY GOING TO THE MOON.
>> Steve: AND TELL US ABOUT THE MAIN GOAL OF YOUR ARTEMIS II MISSION.
>> YES. SO ARTEMIS II WILL BE THE FIRST TIME WE FLY HUMANS ON THIS NEW SPACECRAFT CALLED ORION
WHICH WE WILL NEED FOR MISSIONS TO THE LIEU THAT ARE SURFACE.
BUT THIS MISSION WILL BE TO BUY DOWN THE RISK AND DO THAT TESTING OF THIS CAPSULE AND WE
WILL FLY IT -- LEAVE EARTH AND/OR BIT THE EARTH A COUPLE OF TIMES AND TAKE ABOUT 24 HOURS TO
DO THAT, CHECK OUT ALL THE SYSTEMS AND THEN ONCE WE ARE CONVINCED IT'S READY FOR DEEP
SPACE WE WILL TAKE IT AROUND THE MOON ONE LAP AROUND THE MOON, BE ABOUT A TEN DAY MISSION TOTAL,
DO MANUAL FLYING, MANUAL PILOTING OF THE SPACECRAFT TO ASSESS ITS DOCKING CAPABILITIES.
WE'LL TEST OUT ITS LIFE-SUPPORT EQUIPMENT AND HAVE TO EXERCISE METHODOLOGY AND JUST FIGURE OUT
HOW TO DO EXPLORATION IN DEEP SPACE AGAIN.
>> Steve: HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CREW?
>> Jeremy: I KNOW MY CREW REALLY WELL.
REID WEISMAN AND I WERE CLASSMATES.
WE JOINED THE ASTRONAUT CORE AT THE SAME TIME SO I HAVE BEEN DOWN HERE IN HOUSTON WITH HIM
SINCE 2009.
WE DID ALL OUR BASIC TRAINING TOGETHER.
HE IS ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS.
AND VICTOR AND CHRISTINA, THEY WERE THE CLASS AFTER US SO WE ARE PRETTY CLOSE AND SPENT TIME
TOGETHER SOCIALLY AND I HAVE WORKED WITH THEM TONS PROFESSIONALLY.
I HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF RESPECT FOR EVERYBODY ON THE CREW.
>> Steve: FOR MISSIONS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, DO YOU HAVE TO LIKE THE MEMBERS THAT YOU ARE GOING
TO BE UP THERE WITH?
>> Jeremy: I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S AN ABSOLUTE CRITERIA.
BUT OF COURSE IF YOU ARE A PROFESSIONAL YOU WILL WORK THROUGH THAT BUT IT WON'T BE AN
ISSUE IN OUR CASE.
IN FACT IN OUR CORE AND OUR BROADER INTERNATIONAL ASTRONAUT CORE.
CANADA HAS 4 ASTRONAUTS BUT WE ARE PART OF A MUCH LARGER CORE, OVER 60 ASTRONAUTS DOWN HERE IN
HOUSTON, AND WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THAT.
BECAUSE ALTHOUGH YOU COULD GET THE MISSION DONE, WE HAVE COME TO RECOGNIZE THAT IF YOU ARE
FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS AND REALLY WORKING ON THOSE TEAM SKILLS, EMPATHY, TAKING CARE OF
ONE ANOTHER, THOSE THINGS REALLY DO MATTER FOR ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE SHOOTING FOR.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAXIMIZE PERFORMANCE OF OUR TEAM.
>> Steve: AND DOES THE SAME CREW REMAIN INTACT FOR ARTEMIS 3?
>> Jeremy: NO THERE WILL BE ANOTHER CREW ASSIGNED TO ART MY 3 EVEN BEFORE WE FLY ARTEMIS II
THERE WILL BE A SECOND CREW BEHIND US READY TO TAKE ON THAT NEXT CHALLENGE OF SENDING HUMANS
BACK TO THE MOON.
I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT.
ARTEMIS II IS MEANT TO BE JUST ONE NEXT STEP.
IT'S NOT A PINNACLE.
CERTAINLY NOT A PINNACLE IN THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM AND I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR CANADIANS
TO RECOGNIZE IS THIS IS LIKE NOT THE END FOR US EITHER.
THIS IS JUST WHERE WE HAVE GOTTEN AFTER DECADES OF -- WE ARE AIMING HIGHER.
I WON'T BE SATISFIED IF WE DON'T SEE A CANADIAN WALK ON THE MOON AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE.
AND THEN ON TO MARS.
CANADA HAS A LOT TO OFFER.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I HAVE BEEN SHARING IS IT'S TREMENDOUS AMERICAN LEADERSHIP TO CREATE A
PROGRAM THAT MAKES SPACE FOR AN INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP.
BUT, IT'S CANADA'S CAN-DO ATTITUDE TO STEP UP AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY
AND IS DELIVERING TREMENDOUS VALUE.
I AM SO PROUD OF WHAT I HAVE SEEN CANADIANS ACCOMPLISH ACROSS OUR COUNTRY OVER THE PAST 14
YEARS THAT I HAVE BEEN IN THE SPACE PROGRAM.
I KNOW THEY HAVE A LOT MORE TO GIVE.
>> Steve: LET ME PICK UP ON ONE PART OF THAT ANSWER WHICH IS THAT YOU SAID YOU WOULD BE
TICKED OFF IF AT SOME POINT A CANADIAN DOESN'T GET TO WALK ON THE MOON AGAIN AND I HAVE TO
BELIEVE JEREMY AND FORGIVE ME FOR THIS BUT I HAVE TO BELIEVE THERE IS A SMALL PART OF YOU OR
A BIG PART OF YOU THAT THINKS I WILL GET SO CLOSE TO THE BLOODY MOON AND I DON'T GET TO WALK ON
THE MOON, MAN AM I TICKED OFF.
AM I CLOSE ON THAT?
I.
>> Jeremy: I DON'T THINK SO.
ABSOLUTELY, I ALWAYS WANT TO WALK ON THE MOON AND I MAY WALK ON THE MOON ONE DAY.
NEVER SAY NEVER.
BUT RIGHT NOW, I TRULY, AUTHENTICALLY AM VERY PLEASED AND HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THIS
TEST FLIGHT.
THIS MAY NOT LOOK LIKE A BIG CHALLENGE BECAUSE WE ARE NOT LANDING ON THE MOON BUT IT IS.
I KNOW THAT.
I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG CAREER CHALLENGE FOR ME.
I'M EXCITED TO SINK MY TEETH INTO IT AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT STEP ALONG THE WAY AND WHO KNOWS
WHAT THE FUTURE BRINGS BUT THIS IS HOW EVERYONE BEFORE ME HAS DONE IT.
THEY HAVE ALL MADE THEIR CONTRIBUTION AND EVERY -- IT'S ONE MORE STEP FORWARD.
ONE AFTER THE OTHER.
I'M STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF PEOPLE LIKE MARC GARNEAU AND ROBERTA BONDAR THROUGH THE
ASTRONAUT CORE AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHOSE NAMES YOU DON'T KNOW WHO MADE THIS REALITY.
I AM ONE MORE OF THOSE PEOPLE.
>> Steve: I PRESUME AT SOME POINT ALONG WAIT DESPITE ALL THE EFFORT YOU PUT INTO BEING ABLE
TO REALIZE THIS DREAM OF YOURS, YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE VERY REAL POSSIBILITY THAT IT WILL
NEVER HAPPEN.
DID YOU THINK THIS MIGHT NEVER HAPPEN?
>> Jeremy: OH YEAH.
NO, I NEVER ASSUMED THAT IT WOULD, SURE.
THERE IS A LONG LIST OF THINGS THAT COULD PREVENT YOU FROM ACHIEVING A GOAL LIKE THIS.
BUT YOU KNOW, THE LESSON FOR YOUNG CANADIANS IS JUST CREATE A LIFE THAT YOU ARE HAPPY WITH.
DO SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE HAPPY DOING AND THAT'S WHAT I HAVE ALWAYS DONE.
I WANTED TO BE AN AIR FORCE PILOT, THAT WAS AN AMAZING CAREER FOR ME.
AND THEN I WANTED TO BE AN ASTRONAUT AND I AM WORKING HERE.
IF I NEVER FLY IN SPACE, THIS HAS BANE REALLY REWARDING EXPERIENCE FOR ME THUS FAR.
I LOVE THE TEAM I WORK ON.
BUT ULTIMATELY THAT'S WHERE I'M AIMING.
I'M AIMING TO FLY AROUND THE MOON NOW AND I'M AIMING TO MAKE THE MAXIMUM CONTRIBUTION TO
CANADA AS WE GO FORWARD.
>> Steve: FOR WHATEVER REASON, NASA IN ITS WISDOM HAS DECIDED OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS THAT
GETTING BACK TO THE MOON WAS CLEARLY NOT A PRIORITY.
I GUESS IF IT HAD BEEN THEY WOULD HAVE DONE IT.
WHAT'S CHANGED?
>> Jeremy: YEAH, I THINK YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY HITTING ON IS IT'S NOT THAT THEY
DIDN'T WANT TO GO BACK TO THE MOON BUT THEY WANTED TO REINVENT THE TECHNOLOGY.
MORE REUSABLE TECHNOLOGY.
SYSTEMS LIKE RECYCLING SYSTEMS.
WE RECYCLE ALL OF OUR WATER, ALMOST ALL OF OUR WATER ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FOR
EXAMPLE.
WE RECYCLE OUR CARBON DIOXIDE.
THESE ARE THE SYSTEM THAT IS WILL ALLOW TO US REALLY GET A FOOT HOLD IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM
AND WE HAD TO BASICALLY TAKE A STEP BACK AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO DEVELOP THAT.
NOW IT'S INTERESTING.
WE HAVE CURATED AN INTERNATIONAL -- OR A COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIP, SO IT'S NOT JUST
INTERNATIONAL BUT ALSO COMMERCIAL.
AND THIS IS REALLY BEEN ENABLING FOR US.
SO SOME PEOPLE MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH SPACEX FOR EXAMPLE THAT'S BEEN A REALLY SUCCESSFUL
COLLABORATION AND NOW THEY ARE BUILDING THE LUNAR LANDER CALLED STAR.
WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO ON THAT VEHICLE BUT IT'S AIMING REALLY HIGH AND IN CANADA WE HAVE THOSE
SAME COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIPS.
WE ARE BUILDING A THIRD GENERATION OF SPACE ROBOTICS AND THAT'S BEING COMMERCIALIZED.
WE ARE LOOKING AT DELIVERING HEALTH IN DEEP SPACE AND FOOD, PRODUCING FOOD IN DEEP SPACE,
BUT ACTUALLY DOING THAT IN CANADA ON THE PLANET FIRST.
WE SEE THOSE AS COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH GOVERNMENT.
SO THIS IS ACTUALLY, WHAT'S CHANGING.
IN MY MIND IT'S ACTUALLY VERY, VERY POSITIVE.
>> Steve: I SHOULD DO A FOLLOW UP ON THAT YOU HAVE HEARD THE CRITICISM THAT THE JEFF BEZOS
OPERATION OR ELON MUSK OPERATION AS YOU REFERENCED ARE -- THEY HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED AS EGO TRIP
BUSINESS BILLIONAIRES.
DO YOU THINK THERE IS MORE TO IT THAN THAT?
>> Jeremy: YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE BROADER TEAM.
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT THE TEAM IS ACCOMPLISHING.
WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IS LITERALLY THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE BEING
UNITED UNDER A GOAL TO ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING.
PEOPLE GET FOCUSED ON INDIVIDUALS, AND I KIND OF LIVED THIS A LITTLE BIT AS THE
ASTRONAUT ASSIGNED TO ARTEMIS II.
IT HAS LITTLE TO DO WITH ME.
I DID MY PART BUT IT'S REALLY AN ENORMOUS TEAM OF PEOPLE AND THEN ABLED THIS TO HAPPEN AND THAT'S
WHAT I LOVE SEEING, THESE -- WHEN I SEE SUCCESSES LIKE THE SPACEX SUCCESSES I THINK OF
HONOURING THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE THAT A REALITY.
IT WASN'T TRIVIAL >> I DON'T MEAN TO BE A KILLJOY HERE BUT YOU ARE THE LAST PERSON I HAVE
TO TELL ABOUT THE DANGERS OF GOING INTO SPACE.
WE HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS -- TOO MANY OPERATIONS IN THE PAST THAT HAVE NOT ENDED WELL.
AND I WONDER HOW YOU -- HOW YOU DEAL WITH THAT INTERNAL QUESTION FOR YOURSELF, ABOUT MAKING SURE
THAT YOU DON'T JUST GO UP BUT THAT YOU COME BACK AS WELL.
>> Jeremy: YES.
SO, I THINK THAT'S PART OF OUR HONOURING THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE FALLEN BEFORE US IN THE PURSUIT
OF SPACE EXPLORATION IS TO CONTINUE THAT ON.
AND IF I DO MEET THAT UNFORTUNATE END ON THIS MISSION, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT
THE MESSAGE IS THAT -- ISN'T THAT WE SHOULDN'T GO BUT HOPEFULLY WE'LL HONOUR THAT
COMMIT THE AND YOU WILL ALLOW OTHERS TO MAKE A CALCULATED RISK.
WE ARE NOT SPACE COWBOYS BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION.
WE ARE AN INCREDIBLE TEAM OF PEOPLE THAT MANAGE RISK ON A DAILY BASIS AND WE ARE GOOD AT
IT AND WE KNOW THAT BY MANAGING RISK SOMETIMES WE WILL GET IT WRONG.
YOU CAN'T -- THE WORD MANAGE RISK DOES NOT MEAN YOU REMOVE RISK.
IT MEANS YOU TAKE EDUCATED -- MAKE EDUCATED DECISIONS AND THAT IS HOW WE WILL MANAGE THE RISK.
AND ULTIMATELY AT THE END OF THE DAY THE FOUR OF US WILL GET ON THAT SPACE PATH AND WE WILL SAY
THIS RISK HAS BEEN MANAGED, WE ACCEPT THE RISK THAT IS ARE OUT THERE AND IF ONE OF THOSE
HAPPENS TO GET US THEN YOU KNOW THAT WAS JUST THE WAY IT WAS MEANT TO BE AND WE HOPE THAT YOU
CARRY ON THE TORCH.
>> Steve: HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU KNEW YOU WANTED TO BE AN ASTRONAUT?
>> Jeremy: I WAS REALLY YOUNG.
I WAS TALKING TO MY PARENTS ABOUT THIS JUST RECENTLY AS WE WERE COMING UP TO THIS
ANNOUNCEMENT.
AND MY MOM WAS REMINDING ME THAT YOU KNOW, THE STORY I TELL OF SEEING NEIL ARMSTRONG AND IT'S
LIKE IN THE ENCYCLOPEDIA A AND BEING BLOWN AWAY BY THE FACT PEOPLE COULD WALK ON THE MOON
AND THAT LED THEM TO INCLUDE THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTRE IN OUR TOUR OR IN OUR TRIP TO FLORIDA THAT
YEAR.
AND SO YEAH FOR A LONG TIME I HAVE HAD THIS IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD.
>> Steve: HELP ME FIGURE THIS OUT A LITTLE BIT BETTER BECAUSE I REMEMBER THAT.
I WAS A 9-YEAR-OLD KID AT SUMMER CAMP WATCHING NEIL ARMSTRONG WALK ON THE MOON LIVE BUT I
NEVER WANTED TO BECOME AN ASTRONAUT AS A RESULT OF SEEING THAT.
CLEARLY, THAT CONNECTED WITH YOU IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
DO YOU KNOW WHY?
>> Jeremy: YEAH I COULD NOT TELL YOU WHY.
I THINK IT'S -- IT'S INSPIRATION.
I CAN SEE AS I AM TELLING YOU THIS STORY, I CAN LITERALLY SEE AN IMAGE OF THAT PAGE IN THE
ENCYCLOPEDIA A IN MY BRAIN.
IT MADE AN IMPRESSION ON ME AT AN EARLY AGE AND IT STUCK.
AND I CHANGED MY TREE HOUSE INTO A SPACE SHIP.
I HAD CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND CONTROLS AND DIALS AND POPSICLE STICKS AND I WAS GOING ON SPACE
MISSIONS.
I CAN'T TELL YOU WHY, BUT THAT REALLY CAPTURED MY IMAGINATION.
AND THEN I -- INADVERTENTLY DID SOMETHING ELSE.
I TOLD PEOPLE THAT I WANTED TO DO THIS AND THAT IS ACTUALLY THE KEY POINT FOR ME, THAT KEPT ME
GOING.
BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE LIKE OH IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SPACE, THEN MAYBE YOU WANT TO LEARN TO
FLY OR JOIN AIR CADETS AND IT WAS ONE AFTER THE OTHER PEOPLE INVESTING IN ME AND THEN ABLED
THIS DREAM TO BECOME A REALITY.
>> Steve: I'M GOING TO CHOOSE A COMPLETELY FRIVOLOUS QUESTION FOR THE FINAL QUESTION.
ARE YOU READY.
>> Jeremy: READY GO FOR IT.
>> Steve: WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE SPACE MOVIE?
>> Jeremy: OH YOU KNOW, I THINK -- I MEAN CERTAINLY I GREW UP ON STAR WARS SO IT WOULD BE A
SHAME NOT TO MENTION IT BUT A RECENT ONE THAT I THINK REALLY CAPTURES THE SPIRIT OF HOW WE
EXPLORE SPACE TODAY IS THE "THE MARTIAN."
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THAT MOVIE IT CAPTURED THE APPROACH AND OVERALL TEAM IT TAKES TO SOLVE A
PROBLEM THROUGH SPACE EXPLORATION AND I THINK THE AUTHOR DID A REALLY GREAT JOB
CAPTURING THAT.
>> Steve: DID YOU EVER MEET MATT DAMON.
>> Jeremy: NOT YET.
MAYBE SOME DAY.
>> Steve: LISTEN, YOU ARE CHECKING BOXES ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS BY HAVING DREAMS COME
TRUE.
SO, SOME DAY YOU WILL MEET HIM I'M SURE.
I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH TORE TAKING TIME OUT OF WHAT I KNOW IS A CRAZY SCHEDULE TO JOIN
US HERE ON TVO TONIGHT AND GODSPEED JEREMY HANSEN.
>> Jeremy: I APPRECIATE IT AND I AM VERY PROUD OF CANADA.
VERY MUCH APPRECIATE ALL THE CANADIANS THAT HAVE MADE THIS A POSSIBILITY.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.
TAKE CARE.