Catherine Hansen, physician wife of Artemis II astronaut Jeremy Hansen, reveals his ‘greatest skill’

As Jeremy Hansen prepares to return to Earth with the Artemis II crew, his wife Catherine Hansen shares a personal glimpse into the astronaut’s experience in space, revealing one of the lesser-known abilities of the first Canadian to venture to the Moon. A physician by profession, she described him as a “world-class napper” while also highlighting the emotional and human moments of the mission.

Speaking to CBC News chief correspondent Adrienne Arsenault on April 8, Catherine Hansen said her husband is unlikely to stop talking about the mission once he returns home.

“We had a private family conference last night and we asked him one question and it was a very long run-on sentence about how much fun he's having,” she said. “I anticipate the stories… will be very exciting, very ongoing… every dinner party from here on in, it's going to be about space.”

Emotional moment from the far side of the moon

Catherine described the emotional impact of hearing her husband send a message to his family from the far side of the moon.

“Yeah, it was absolutely beautiful. It feels like we're along for this ride and my hope is that most of Canada also feels like they're along for this ride,” she said, adding that “Jeremy's heart is on display which is beautiful to see.”

She also highlighted the close bond among the crew, saying they appeared to support each other through challenging moments. “They were always best of friends and it's going to be an even greater bond,” she noted.

Naming a lunar feature after a loved one

The emotional high point of the mission came when the Artemis II crew, led by Commander Reid Wiseman, informally named a lunar crater “Carroll” on April 6, 2026, in honor of his late wife, Carroll Taylor Wiseman. She was a neonatal intensive care nurse who died of cancer in 2020 at the age of 46.

Reflecting on the tribute, Catherine Hansen said the moment deeply moved families watching from Earth.

“When we watched real time with all of you and with the world, there wasn't a dry eye on the planet,” she said. “We will now look up at the moon and see that bright spot called Carol and we will never forget that moment.”

Jeremy Hansen’s greatest skill: ‘Worldclass napper’ in zero gravity

Catherine also shared lighter details about life in orbit, calling sleep one of her husband’s “greatest skill sets.”

“He is a world-class napper. It is one of his greatest skill sets and he's sleeping very well as are all the crew,” she said. “He absolutely loves zero gravity. He feels like a kid up there.”

Family prepares for splashdown

With splashdown approaching, Catherine admitted uncertainty about what to expect but said the family is ready.

“This entire ride has been a lot of uncertainty… Splashdown is one of those things. I really have no idea what to expect,” she said, adding she will be “holding hands… anticipating the three good shoots and the splashdown.”

She added that even conversations with NASA highlighted how unpredictable the final stage can be. “I've heard people at NASA saying, you know, what haven't we thought of and what are the things that we can prepare for that we can maybe do better at preparing for? And that's kind of how I feel. But I really don't know what's coming and I really don't know what it's going to feel like in that moment.”