--- title: "Canadian Astronaut Says He’s Going to the Moon So NASA Can Blame Him If Anything Goes Wrong" description: "There's a random Canadian astronaut going to the Moon with three Americans from NASA next year — and according to him, that's by design. " date: "2023-04-08" modified: "2023-04-08" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/canadian-artemis-astronaut-blame-canada" categories: - "Astronomy" - "Moon" - "NASA" - "Space" tags: - "artemis" - "canadian space agency" - "NASA" - "the digest" --- # Canadian Astronaut Says He’s Going to the Moon So NASA Can Blame Him If Anything Goes Wrong ![There's a random Canadian astronaut going to the Moon with three Americans from NASA next year — and according to him, that's by design. ]() *\Image: Late Show via YouTube / Futurism\* ## O, Canada There's a Canadian astronaut going to the Moon with three Americans from NASA next year — and according to him, that's by design. In a "[Late Show]()" interview with Stephen Colbert, Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen — along with his [American counterparts]() Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Reid Wiseman — had a quip [straight out of "South Park]()" when asked why, exactly, he'd been selected for the mission. "Elephant in the room: you're a Canadian," Colbert joked to raucous applause from his audience, "and that's not why we made you sit at the end \[of the couch\]." "How did this happen for you?" the host continued. "How did you end up at NASA?" In pure Canadian nice fashion, Hansen noted that there are "probably a couple of reasons, you can pick whichever one you like" before joking that "if something goes wrong on this mission, then NASA can blame Canada." Now laughing himself, Colbert shot back that "well, Canada will just say 'sorry,'" using the long "o" pronunciation that's become something of a [calling card for the Great White North](). "So we're all covered," Hansen continued. "That's a great insurance policy." ## Space Diplomacy Jokes aside, the soon-to-be-spacewalker said that he thinks the "real reason" NASA chose to work with the [Canadian Space Agency]() is good old-fashioned "American leadership." "It's not lost on anyone in Canada that if the United States wanted to go to the Moon again, they don't need Canada to do it," he continued. "It was a deliberate decision because they're thinking big, they want to curate a global partnership, and I think that's tremendous leadership on the part of America." "Canada really appreciates it," Hansen added. "It lifts us up and allows us to bring our genius — and we have lots of genius in Canada to bring to the collaboration." It's unclear whether Hansen knew he was referencing a [more-than-20-year-old South Park bit](), but he nonetheless has a good sense of humor — which seems like a necessary tool when flying to the Moon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYB6ZSwdrvM **More on Canada:** [*Canada's New Space Agency Logo Is Very Awesome (and Very Canadian)*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()