Artemis II Astronaut
On April 10, 2026, Colonel Jeremy Hansen splashed down in the Pacific Ocean after a historic mission to deep space that saw him travel farther from Earth than any human before him. The
Artemis II mission was a defining moment for space exploration — marking the first time in more than 50 years humans flew to the Moon. Today, Hansen, a decorated fighter pilot and
astronaut, brings that experience to stages around the world, delivering a message that is equal parts awe-inspiring and actionable. He translates one of humanity’s greatest achievements into a powerful framework for leaders and teams ready to pursue their own audacious goals.
Hansen’s path to the Moon began at age 12 with the Royal Canadian Air Cadets, a program he credits with instilling the discipline and self-confidence that shaped everything that followed. By 17, he had earned his private pilot’s licence, and just one year later joined the military, beginning his university studies and training at the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean in 1994. By his late 20s, he was flying CF-18s on NORAD Arctic operations. And in 2009, he was one of just two Canadians selected in the Canadian Space Agency’s (CSA) national astronaut
recruitment campaign.
After completing training in 2011, Hansen began working at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston on assignment with the CSA. He served as a Mission Control capcom, the critical voice between the ground and the International Space Station, while taking on increasingly senior roles within the astronaut corps. He trained underwater at NASA’s Aquarius habitat off the Florida coast, lived underground for six days in Sardinian caves as part of the European Space Agency’s CAVES program, and by 2017, he was leading NASA’s astronaut training class — the first Canadian to do so.
In 2023, Hansen was assigned to Artemis II. Alongside crewmates Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, he travelled more than 1.1 million kilometres, surpassing the distance
record from earth previously held by the crew of Apollo 13. Hansen made history as the first Canadian, and the first non-American, to travel to the Moon. Hansen holds a Bachelor of Science in Space Science with first-class honours and a Master of Science in Physics, both from the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston. In recognition of his remarkable career, he has been awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, and numerous military honours — a record that reflects decades of excellence.
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Achieving your moonshot: turning audacious dreams into action
What is your moonshot? What is that one audacious goal you hold inside that the world desperately needs you to achieve?
Going from a kid staring up at the stars to the far side of the Moon on the historic Artemis II mission doesn’t happen by accident. Colonel Jeremy Hansen knows firsthand what it takes to turn an impossible dream into a reality. In this visually stunning and deeply personal keynote — featuring breathtaking video and imagery — he brings audiences behind the scenes of his journey, sharing the intense planning, rigorous training, and awe-inspiring reality of a lunar flyby.
However, this isn’t just a story about space exploration — it is a blueprint for organizational excellence and your own life’s mission. Hansen challenges audiences to realize that dreaming alone won’t get you to the finish line. Achieving a moonshot requires relentless daily action. By weaving his unique experiences with practical insights, he provides a framework to help leaders, teams, and individuals identify their goals and leverage their inspiration to execute them.
