On the ground, “Canadian-American relations are at their lowest since the War of 1812,” a year when Canada was invaded several times by Americans, notes the Christian Science Monitor.
But, “there is a little place where Canada and the United States can still be the best of friends in the world,” the New York Times states. This place, the newspaper specifies, is a space capsule the size of a small camper van.
On board are three Americans: mission commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialist Christina Koch. And also “the first Canadian in history to go to the Moon,” mission specialist Jeremy Hansen proudly writes CBC. Together, they will be the first humans to fly over our satellite since 1972, as part of the Artemis 2 mission.
In an interview filmed from space, the four astronauts show their joy in experiencing this historic moment. Victor Glover declares, “One of the most extraordinary aspects of being an astronaut is having the chance to participate in a mission that we will cherish the memory of for the rest of our lives.”
Leadership in robotics and space diplomacy Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk rejoices with CTV News that “among all NASA partners around the world, the only country invited to participate in this mission is Canada.” And “it is no coincidence,” he emphasizes. Canadian officials began negotiations on the country’s participation in the Artemis program between 2018 and 2020, recalls the Globe and Mail. “At that time, it was understood that the agreement could include lunar flights for Canadians.” In return, Ottawa would invest more than 2 billion dollars (1.25 billion euros) in a lunar program including a new version of its space arm used on the American shuttle and the International Space Station.
Furthermore, CTV News added, Ottawa announced this year that it will invest 200 million Canadian dollars (124 million euros) to develop a rocket and satellite launch site in the province of Nova Scotia. The Canadian Space Agency states that the country plays a role in space diplomacy by emphasizing international collaboration.
Planetary mission Welcoming the fact that the first woman and first person of color to go to the Moon are part of the crew, former Canadian astronaut Julie Payette, interviewed by the Christian Science Monitor, emphasizes the progressive nature of the mission:
“This pushes boundaries, and that’s what we do in exploration, discovery, science, and research in general […]. The entire Artemis crew is dedicated to all Earth’s inhabitants.”
“We are seeing a rise in protectionism and growing concerns about sovereignty and geopolitical stability,” Lisa Campbell, who heads the Canadian Space Agency, tells the New York Times. “But in reality,” she adds, “we all share the same fragile planet and we must take care of it. We must help each other.”
The four astronauts will make a loop around the Moon on Monday, as reported by Space.com. Afterward, their capsule will return to Earth, splashing down off the coast of San Diego a few days later.
