As Canada gears up for its historic moon mission, King Charles III has a heartfelt wish to send.
On Wednesday, April 1, Buckingham Palace took to the official Instagram account of the British Royal Family to share the monarch's special message and wishes to Colonel Jeremy Hansen, as he gears up to set a historic milestone.
As Canada's Head of State, Charles sent a heartfelt note to Jeremy, wishing him all the luck as he prepares to embark on NASA's Artemis II mission to the moon, becoming the first Canadian to travel on a moon mission.
"As you embark on this momentous endeavour, I send you and your fellow crew members my heartfelt good wishes," began the king.
He added, "May the stars align in your favour, and may your safe return inspire countless others to uphold the values of sustainability, cooperation and wonder that the Astra Carta inspires."
In the caption, the palace shared, "Marking the launch of @NASA's Artemis II mission to the moon, The King has written to mission specialist, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Colonel Jeremy Hansen - the first Canadian to travel on a moon mission - commending his leadership and vision."
They continued to note that Artemis II will be the first rocket to go around the moon in more than 50 years, adding that it will also be NASA's first mission with crew aboard the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.
"As global space activity, exploration, and the space economy rapidly expand, His Majesty recognises the importance of stewardship and responsible governance to protect the infinite wonders of the universe," the caption concluded.
When and where will NASA launch Asterim II mission?
The Asterim II mission will launch today, April 1, 2026, at 6:24pm EDT from Kennedy Space Center in Florida using the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
Mission Asterim II astronauts:
The mission crew includes NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen.
