As of today, April 10th, the Artemis II mission is in final hours of flight. The team aboard Integrity, the Orion spacecraft, is descending back to Earth for a scheduled splashdown at 8:00pm eastern time. And while the world is watching the NASA mission, Toronto is watching their astronaut.
Born in London, Ontario, Jeremy Hansen has made history as one of the first humans to travel this far into space. Read on to find out how to watch the splashdown and support the Ailsa Craig-raised astronaut right here in Toronto.
Canada’s own seat at the table
Canada secured a spot on Artemis II due to our contribution to the Lunar Gateway and the upcoming Canadarm3. Hansen’s presence among the 3 other astronauts aboard Integrity garnered the attention of media and curious users alike. Prime Minister Mark Carney even made live calls to Hansen in space — reflecting deep national pride. And understandably so.
Hansen is part of a crew (made up of Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover and Mission Specialist Christina Koch) that surpassed Apollo 13’s 56-year-old record by 4,100 miles — going the farthest humans have ever been into space. In addition to this incredible feat, Artemis II is also conducting the AVATAR investigation (A Virtual Astronaut Tissue Analog Response), using “organ-on-a-chip” technology to study how deep-space radiation affects human cells in real-time — among many other incredible developments that are set to change the course of history.
How to watch the Artemis II splashdown from Toronto?
Currently, the astronauts aboard Integrity are performing final stowage, preparing for re-entry. This evening, April 10th, around 8:00pm eastern, the capsule will pierce the Earth’s atmosphere, before splashing into the Pacific Ocean off the California coast. U.S. Navy and NASA teams are already in place to retrieve Integrity and its crew.
Starting 6:30pm eastern, NASA+ will begin its live broadcast of the splashdown! You can also keep up with the NASA live tracker, observing Integrity’s journey back to Earth in real time.
Continue the mission in Toronto
Artemis II is coming back to Earth, but you can always keep the mission going at Space Explorers: THE INFINITE. The immersive exhibit in Mississauga takes you through real footage from astronauts who lived on the International Space Station. It’s an emotionally powerful experience with incredible views of our planet, reminding us that “in all of this emptiness, [we] have this oasis” (Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot).
