Two Canadians are gearing up for the first mission to the moon in more than half a century.

Artemis II is set to launch from the Kennedy Space Station in Florida for the first manned mission in 53 years, Wednesday.

Jeremy Hansen is the first Canadian to ever go to the moon.

The 47-year-old former fighter pilot was announced as part of the four-person crew, two years ago, and has been in quarantine in Houston for the last nine days to prepare for the big launch.

In a post on social media last week, he thanked everyone who cheered him on.

“From leaving our home to the moment we will step onto the launchpad, these last few days are made even more special knowing we have such an incredible community behind us,” says Hansen.

In an interview with Acadia News, Jamie Sevigny, the director of space exploration development with The Canadian Space Agency tells us they are thrilled to have Hansen on board.

“Jeremy will be the first Canadian going around the moon,” says Sevigny. “He’s also going to make Canada the second country to send a human around the moon. So, this is pretty big.”

The agency says his role as mission specialist is to make sure everything is functioning properly to set them up for the Artemis III mission.

Sevigny says a big reason a Canadian is part of the mission is because of Canadaarm3. A robotic system set to be on the lunar gateway – a small station that will orbit the moon.

Hansen’s backup is Jenni Gibbins.

The Canadian Space Agency says the 37-year-old will also be a “vital” link between the flight controllers on earth and the Orion crew, including the lunar flyby.

The mission will take ten days to fly around the moon and back taking observations and pictures.

The launch window is April 1 to 6.