The Artemis II crew, including Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, received a hero's welcome at the National Arts Centre (NAC) in Ottawa on May 13, 2026. The event featured a packed theatre filled with rocket enthusiasts and children dressed in spacesuits, all eager to hear from the astronauts who recently circumnavigated the moon.
Astronauts Surprised by Public Support
NASA astronaut Christina Koch expressed surprise at the widespread public attention the mission received. During a family conference call, her husband informed her that the mission was having a profound impact on Earth. 'He was like, You need to know something. This mission is having an incredible impact down here. It’s moving people across lines. Everyone is paying attention,' Koch recalled. 'We didn’t know the public was watching us.'
Koch, along with crewmates Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and Jeremy Hansen, participated in a Q&A session at the NAC, marking their first visit to Canada since the mission. The event highlighted the emotional connection between the astronauts and the public.
Community Gathering at the NAC
On April 1, about 300 people gathered around the NAC's Kipnes Lantern, a massive LED screen, to watch the first-ever live-streamed launch of Artemis II. Kondwani Mwase, executive director of audience engagement at the NAC, described the scene: 'People congregating, yelling, screaming, and cheering at the same time. Watching people on the street react, the smiles, and the pride on their faces was indescribable.'
David Leclerc, who operates the lantern, initially had doubts about the event due to previous launch delays. However, after months of preparation, the launch proceeded smoothly on April 1. Leclerc monitored the event remotely and received positive feedback from colleagues. 'I had colleagues at the lantern, sending me photos and telling me it was perfect,' he said. 'Everything aligned.'
Personal Connections to Space
Many attendees returned on May 13 to hear the astronauts speak. Leah Bevington shared her emotional experience from the launch event: 'It was really emotional. My dad was obsessed with space. The year that he died was the year that Chris Hadfield went up to space, and my dad’s name is Chris. He would have been utterly obsessed.'
The Artemis II mission, which included the first Canadian astronaut to travel to the moon, has inspired a sense of unity and pride among Canadians. The NAC event underscored the power of space exploration to bring people together.
