The Artemis II crew successfully concluded their 10-day lunar mission with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on Friday at approximately 7:07 p.m. Central Time, CBC News reported.

Historic Lunar Flyby and Canadian First

The mission involved a flyby of the far side of the moon and represented the first crewed return from the moon since 1972. Jeremy Hansen became the first Canadian to venture into deep space during the mission. The broadcast highlighted the symbolic importance of the mission for Canada.

During the mission, the crew travelled over 100,000 miles from Earth and observed the globe from pole to pole. They also made an emotional request to name a newly discovered crater on the moon after a member of their astronaut family, Carol, the mother of astronaut Katie Read.

According to CBC News, retired Canadian astronauts Chris Hadfield and Dr. Roberta Bonder praised the mission's success. Hadfield described the mission as “exquisitely hard” and praised the crew for making it “look inevitably easy.” Bonder emphasized the international collaboration involved, highlighting the European service module and Hansen’s participation as key components of the mission’s success.

Other News

Beyond the Artemis II mission, the CBC broadcast also covered several other news items:

  • Liberal Party Convention: The federal Liberal convention is underway in Montreal, with the party nearing a majority government after recent floor crossings. Three by-elections are scheduled for Monday, with two considered safe Liberal seats in Ontario and one a tight race in Quebec.
  • High-Speed Rail Proposal: Backlash is growing in rural communities regarding a proposed high-speed rail line between Toronto and Quebec City. Concerns center around potential disruptions to farmland and expropriations. The project is estimated to cost $90 billion.
  • Labour Market: Canada’s unemployment rate remained at 6.7% in March, with the addition of 14,000 jobs. However, the broadcast noted that over 95,000 jobs have been lost earlier in the year, particularly impacting young workers.
  • Prince Harry Defamation Case: Prince Harry is facing a defamation lawsuit from an African charity he co-founded in 2006 to support young people living with HIV and AIDS.