Canada joins first US moonshot in over 50 years

TORONTO – A Canadian astronaut will be part of the U.S. space program’s first crewed mission to the Moon in more than 50 years in 2023.

“It’s official! Canada will join the United States for the first manned mission to the Moon in over 50 years! Canadian Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, François-Philippe Champagne, said in a tweet.

The astronaut will be part of the Artemis II mission, which will be the first mission carrying people to the moon since the last American Apollo mission in 1972. Artemis II will not land on the lunar surface, but will enter orbit, according to the Canadian . Space Agency website.

The mission is part of Lunar Gateway’s, US-led effort to build a small space station in lunar orbit. Canada will bring Canadarm3, a robotic arm similar to earlier contributions to the US space shuttle program.