Carney Calls Astronaut Hansen on Artemis II Moon Mission
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- PM Mark Carney held a Wednesday Earth-to-space call with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen during NASA's Artemis II mission, telling the crew, "Canadians are so proud of what you're doing and the collaboration."
- Hansen, the first non-American to fly around the moon, told Carney that "teamwork is willingness" and called willingness "a huge ingredient in a successful team."
- Hansen is flying alongside American crewmates Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, and Victor Glover on Artemis II, with splashdown scheduled for Friday.
- Carney pressed Hansen on risk, referencing the astronaut's earlier remark that the mission is "a risk for a good reason"; Hansen replied that risk should be "calculated risk, well-thought-out risk and risk that you balance with others."
- Carney asked whether the crew prefers maple syrup or Nutella on pancakes, referencing a viral image of a Nutella jar floating through the Orion capsule, prompting laughter from the crew.
- Carney extended an invitation for the crew to visit Ottawa, noting the capital is still snowy but "the snow is going to go."
Why it matters: Hansen is the first non-American ever to fly around the moon, making Canada a visible partner in NASA's flagship deep-space program. Carney used the call to tie the mission to national pride and youth inspiration, while the lighthearted Nutella exchange showed a prime minister leveraging a feel-good moment to connect with a broad Canadian audience ahead of Friday's splashdown.
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