HOUSTON – Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen and his crew members received a standing ovation as they were welcomed back in Houston after splashing down in the Pacific Ocean on Friday, concluding the Artemis II mission.
Still marvelling over their record-breaking lunar fly-around, the crew of four flew to Houston’s Ellington Field from San Diego on Saturday afternoon.
Hansen expressed gratitude for his family, NASA, the Canadian Space Agency, and said in French that he was excited to come back to Canada.
After a quick reunion with their families, the astronauts took the stage, surrounded by hundreds who took part in NASA’s historic lunar comeback.
Canadian Space Agency president Lisa Campbell hugged all four astronauts before she expressed how proud she was of Hansen and his crew members.
The crew accomplished many milestones on their 10-day mission, surpassing the Apollo 13 record for farthest crewed space flight from Earth and observing the lunar surface like never before.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 11, 2026.
–with files from the Associated Press