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Prime Minister Mark Carney praised the Artemis II moon mission as a “unique example for the world and beyond” of what can be achieved through collaboration during a brief call with moon-mission’s crew on Wednesday evening.
“The example that you’re showing of how to reach literally for the stars — reach for the moon … it’s hugely inspiring,” Carney told the crew, composed of commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen.
Hansen made history last week, becoming the first Canadian to travel into deep space when the Orion spacecraft left Earth’s orbit en route to the moon.
Carney told Hansen that Canada is proud of his achievements — but the Canadian astronaut turned it around and said he was proud of his country and what it contributed to space exploration.
Hansen talked to Carney about the calculated risk the Artemis II mission presented — and advised Canadian youth that it’s important to take such risks “in collaboration” with others.
WATCH | Carney talks risk, music with Artemis II crew:
Carney asks Artemis II crew about risk, playlist faves
The Artemis II crew, which includes Canadian mission specialist Jeremy Hansen, spoke with Prime Minister Mark Carney during a live space-to-Earth connection on Wednesday. Carney asked the astronauts about risk-taking, as well as their favourite wake-up songs during the mission.
“People will point out when you’re out over your skis, and so you have to be smart about how you take risks,” Hansen said during the call.
The prime minister invited the whole crew to visit Canada following their return to Earth and made a cheeky reference to a jar of hazelnut spread that floated through a camera shot of the crew in orbit earlier in the mission.
“A lot of Canadians just want one point of reassurance — that the preference is for maple syrup over Nutella on your pancakes,” Carney remarked, sparking an outburst of laughs from the crew.
Wiseman told Carney about a one-week training session he completed in Montreal prior to a mission to the International Space Station in 2014.
“It was amazing, in just one week of my robotics training up there I have lifelong friends from Canada,” Wiseman said.
WATCH | Carney riffs on maple syrup and Nutella with astronauts:
Carney jokes about maple syrup with Artemis II crew
During a call with the Artemis II crew on Wednesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney jokingly said Canadians want reassurance that the preference on the Orion capsule was maple syrup over Nutella on pancakes, referencing a viral moment in which a jar of the latter floated through the cabin during a livestream.
The call marked the third and final space-to-Earth connection organized by the Canadian Space Agency, livestreamed from the John H. Chapman Space Centre in Longueuil, Que.
Hansen fielded questions from the crowd gathered at the centre and some that were submitted beforehand. He also showed off a special patch — designed by Anishinaabe artist Henry Guimond — for those watching.
The capsule is pointed back toward Earth, with a splashdown planned for Friday around 8:06 p.m. ET in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, Calif., NASA officials say.
Hansen and the remainder of the crew took turns Wednesday testing and evaluating the “orthostatic intolerance garment,” which is designed to apply lower-body compression, help them maintain blood pressure and circulation, and stave off dizziness and fainting on their transition back to Earth’s gravity.
WATCH | Artemis II sends back never-before-seen images of the moon:
Artemis II sends back never-before-seen images of the moon
NASA has released new images of the moon taken by the Artemis II crew and revealed more about the astronauts’ observations during the historic lunar flyby.
They’re also preparing the cabin, studying entry procedures, stowing equipment and installing their seats to make sure everything is secured for re-entry.
The historic mission broke the distance record Monday as the farthest humans have flown from Earth, reaching 406,771 kilometres and beating the previous record of 400,171 kilometres set by Apollo 13 in 1970.
The astronauts also got to name two lunar craters. They proposed Integrity, their capsule’s name, and Carroll, in honour of Wiseman’s late wife, who died of cancer in 2020.
Crew members spent seven hours making observations during the lunar flyby and reported seeing details on the moon’s surface as well as Mars, Venus and Saturn in the distance.