Artemis II astronaut retires after just one trip to space, a user asks, 'What do you guys see up there?'

Jeremy Hansen, the Canadian astronaut who went to the Moon on his very first mission in space, has announced his retirement.Hansen wrote on X, "Today, I am sharing a significant next step in my journey. This September, after 32 years of military service and 17 years as a Canadian Space Agency astronaut—culminating in the incredible privilege of flying around the Moon on Artemis II—I will be transitioning from my full–time role at the CSA." Even though Hansen has gone to space just once, he has been an astronaut since 2009. He was chosen from a pool of talent under the CSA's astronaut recruitment campaign.

Hansen took a trip around the moon from April 1 to 10 with crewmates Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch as part of the Artemis II mission. The four of them became the first humans to leave low-Earth orbit and travel to the lunar satellite in nearly 50 years. They flung around the far side of the Moon, seeing a portion that humans had never seen before, travelling to the farthest point in space ever.

Hansen further wrote that the Royal Canadian Air Force is moving him into a Reservist role, which will "leave the door open for creative, ongoing ways to support and enable the vital work happening in Canada with respect to space." He thanked the Canadian Armed Forces, the CSA, NASA, our international partners, and his family for supporting him.

Reid Wiseman wishes Hansen for his next chapter

His Artemis crewmate, Wiseman, wished him the best of luck for his future endeavours. “Jeremy and I have been on this journey together for 17 years. One thing that’s never changed is Jeremy’s character. He’s thoughtful, humble, steady under pressure, and the kind of person who makes everyone around him better.”

Netizens were shocked by his sudden retirement, which elicited all kinds of reactions. Some thanked him for his service, others said he was leaving too soon, while a few wondered what did he see in space that led him to step down. "Too soon! 😭 Thank you for representing Canada so perfectly and making me proud to be Canadian!" one wrote, while another asked, "Many astronauts step down from active space flight duty after returning to earth.
What do you guys see up there that you don’t want to go back?"