Canadian astronaut says Artemis II launch delays are possible

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Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques will be eagerly waiting for the Artemis II lunar mission to break free from Earth’s atmosphere.

“By far the most dangerous phase of the mission is the launch on the rocket,” Saint-Jacques told CTV’s Your Morning on Wednesday. “So until they’re in orbit and the main giant engines have cut off … until that point, I think all astronauts kind of reserve their enthusiasm.”

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• READ MORE: Canadian astronaut says Artemis II launch delays are possible

The Artemis II mission is scheduled to blast off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday evening. Carrying four astronauts, including Canadian Jeremy Hansen, the 10-day lunar flyby is meant to test systems ahead of a potential moon landing in 2028. The first crewed mission to the moon in more than 50 years, the astronauts are expected to travel further into space than any humans before them.

“This is the combination of years of training for Jeremy,” Saint-Jacques said from Montreal. “They’ve done their homework, they’re ready, now their headspace is just trying to be in the best possible mood.”

Saint-Jacques travelled to the International Space Station for a six-month mission that lasted from December 2018 to June 2019. Saint-Jacques – who is also an astrophysicist, engineer and a physician – says because the Artemis II mission is meant to test new systems, launch delays are a strong possibility.

“We shouldn’t be shocked if there’s a launch delay tonight, because this is the first time they assembled some of these parts together,” he explained. “If there’s a delay, we thank the guy who caused the delay because he was doing his job and paying attention.”

Despite years of training and anticipation, Saint-Jacques says nothing can prepare an astronaut for their first view of our planet from space.

“We all know what the Earth looks like from space, you know, but to see it with your own eyes? It’s strange,” Saint-Jacques said. “It brings a sense of awe. … Seeing the Earth from space, I think, is something you could not really prepare for.”

Saint-Jacques will also be co-hosting an online Canadian Space Agency watch party on Tuesday evening.

“I hope that this launch is an opportunity for the whole world to look at the sky together and think something a bit common in these troubled days,” Saint-Jacques said. “Godspeed Artemis.”