On April 1, 2026, the world watched as Artemis II made history, embarking on a 10-day mission into deep space that saw Colonel Jeremy Hansen travel farther from Earth than any human before him.

The Artemis II mission was a defining moment for space exploration, marking the first time in more than 50 years humans flew to the Moon. Jeremy, alongside his crewmates Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, travelled more than 1.1 million kilometres, surpassing the distance record from Earth previously held by the crew of Apollo 13.

While the world was captivated by the mission, following along as the crew swung around the far side of the Moon, what they missed was the years of work that went into that historic moment — not just at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston where the crew trained, but at home, where a family also prepared for every possible outcome.

The Mission Behind the Mission

For a truly memorable experience, Jeremy and his wife, Dr. Catherine Hansen, a distinguished medical doctor and keynote speaker, can be booked for an intimate fireside chat where they explore the wonders of space flight grounded in the reality of a family preparing for it.

In her own keynotes, Catherine helps organizations transform how they build resilient teams, prevent burnout, and maximize leadership potential. Many of the tools and strategies she shares are the same ones that she and Jeremy, along with their three kids, relied on as a family in the days, months, and years leading up to launch day.

But what’s really magical is the dynamic Jeremy and Catherine bring to the stage as they share their 17-year journey to Artemis II. Humble, vulnerable, and warm, their down-to-earth, hopeful, and aspirational story shows what it really takes to reach for something extraordinary, together.

The Road to Artemis II

Jeremy’s path to the Moon began at age 12 with the Royal Canadian Air Cadets. By 17, he had earned his private pilot’s licence, and just one year later joined the military, beginning his university studies and training at the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean in 1994. By his late 20s, he was flying CF-18s on NORAD Arctic operations.

In 2009, Jeremy was one of two Canadians selected in the Canadian Space Agency’s national astronaut recruitment campaign. At the time, he and Catherine were living in Cold Lake, Alberta. Catherine was the town’s only OB/GYN, on call 24/7, while married to a travelling fighter pilot and raising three children all under 18 months old.

Selection meant moving the family to Houston, where Jeremy would spend two years training. Afterwards, he became a Mission Control capcom, the critical voice between the ground and the International Space Station, while taking on increasingly senior roles within the astronaut corps. By 2017, he was leading NASA’s astronaut training class — the first Canadian to do so — and in 2023, he was assigned to Artemis II.

After closing her practice in Cold Lake and transitioning her family to Houston, Catherine spent 10 years as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch. She also became the Chief Medical Officer for Effica Health, a virtual menopause clinic.

It was at Effica Health that she saw firsthand how many women were walking around in a fog of stress, overwhelm and exhaustion — herself included. She began integrating daily habits and practices that allowed her to become more aligned with her passions and purpose. As the mission approached, she and Jeremy leaned deeper into those habits as a couple: meditating daily, connecting over raw and important conversations that they had previously avoided, sharing social time with friends and family, and prioritizing good food, daily exercise, and non-negotiable sleep habits.

To many, Catherine says, it could look like we were just waiting 17 years for a mission assignment. “But the reality was that we both continued to advance our careers, deepen our marriage, raise our children and find happiness in all the stages and phases of life.”

The Moon was something they dreamed about but held lightly. When the assignment finally came, it wasn’t a reward for a long wait but one more step in a journey they had already chosen to enjoy.

Book Catherine and Jeremy Hansen

By booking both Catherine and Jeremy, organizations can experience the complete story of Artemis II: the reality of two people in high-pressure, high-demand jobs trying to make a life — and a marriage — work.

Some of the lessons they share include how to:

• Plan with intention but hold the outcome lightly. This is about having a clear vision but not tying your worth to the result.
• Enjoy the journey, not just the destination. Jeremy’s road to space took longer than expected, but rather than waiting for the call, he and Catherine embraced every step along the way.
• Build awareness, agency, and action. Acknowledge where you are, accept it, and create from there.

Few speakers can take an audience to the Moon and back — and fewer still can show them what it took at the kitchen table to get there. Contact us today to learn more about Catherine and Jeremy’s rare, unforgettable keynote experience and how to book them to headline your next event.