In an interview with the CSA, Hansen said he was aware that the Artemis II mission might not go smoothly.
“To do something that has never been done before means that your team is very likely to face failure,” Hansen said. “I like the fact that in space, we are committed to bold goals to the extent that we will not let periodic failure stop our forward progress,” he said.
For the mission, Hansen is carrying four Moon-shaped pendants, each with a birthstone representing his wife and three teenage children.
His blue spacesuit has a mission patch he commissioned Anishinaabe artist Henry Guimond to design, with contributions from Dave Courchene III of Sagkeeng First Nation, Manitoba.
The heptagonal shape and the animals on it refer to a set of indigenous teachings that guide how people should treat one another – with love, respect, courage and humility.
Hansen has said the patch is his way of recognising the Indigenous peoples in Canada and their traditional knowledge.
Earlier this week, he told the BBC science editor Rebecca Morelle and 13 Minutes podcast presenter Tim Peake that he was excited for his first views of Earth during his first hour of space flight.
He anticipated that the mission would later afford him a view with the Moon in the foreground and Earth hanging in the distance.
“I hope humanity will stop for a moment when four humans are on the far side of the Moon, and just look at some of the imagery that we are sharing – and just be reminded that we can do a better job as humans of just lifting each other up,” he said.
“Not destroying but creating together.”