Artemis II’s Jeremy Hansen to advise Moon World Resorts

Dubai: Jeremy Hansen, the Artemis II astronaut and the first Canadian to travel to the Moon, has joined Moon World Resorts (MWR) as astronaut and space strategist. The company shared the appointment with Gulf News ahead of its public announcement.

Hansen will advise on all space matters across MWR’s MOON Smart City masterplans. He joins the Advisory Board, and will serve as the global MOON ambassador and acts as a spokesperson on all things space. His focus areas include the lunar surface and lunar base experiences, astronaut training facilities, space tourism and aerospace partnerships, university affiliations and technology partnerships. 

Hansen spent 32 years in the Royal Canadian Air Force and 17 years as a Canadian Space Agency astronaut. He launched aboard Orion in April 2026 with Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover and Mission Specialist Christina Koch.

From April 1 to 10, the crew flew more than 1.1 million kilometers around the Moon and back. That surpassed Apollo 13’s record for the furthest distance humans have flown from Earth. Hansen is also the first non-American to travel beyond low Earth orbit.

He retired from full-time astronaut service in September 2026. He now serves as a Royal Canadian Air Force reservist and as Special Advisor on space to the Canadian Prime Minister and Minister of Industry. The US Congressional Space Medal of Honor and the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication, both awarded in 2026, are among his honors.

Hansen sees the project as a way to share his journey. MOON offers “an extraordinary opportunity to share the experience of walking on the lunar landscape,” he says. “The Moon pulled at me to venture down to the surface and explore it up close. Forever an optimist, I wouldn’t entirely rule out returning to explore the lunar surface of the actual Moon; however, unlikely that may be.”

Michael R. Henderson, Co-Founder and CEO, says the hire reflects an “unwavering commitment to an authentic guest experience.” He adds that MOON aims to let a volume audience “participate rather than simply spectate.” He estimates a whopping 2.5 million annual guests, who will want to walk on MOON’s lunar surface.

Sandra G. Matthews, MWR Co-Founder and President, says Hansen’s judgment sits “at the centre of every space related decision we make,” from the lunar surface experience to astronaut training. She calls him “an unmatched authority on what authentic space experience actually requires.”

Canada-based design studio and intellectual property licensor, Moon World Resorts is developing a global portfolio of Moon Smart Cities. These will be built within 556 acre masterplans anchored by the world’s largest true architectural sphere. The company has plans to license up to ten Moon destinations worldwide. 

Gulf news had reported in February that the Moon concept linked to the UAE, could carry a price tag of $5 billion (Dh18.4 billion). While the location hasn’t been picked yet, since its required large amounts of land parcels, capital Abu Dhabi could be on its list. The company has not yet announced any government backing or regional development partner.

The design centres on a sphere housing a lunar surface and a simulated lunar base. This sphere is to be surrounded by 10,000 residential units. The lunar surface experience could cost $500 (Dh1,836) for a 90 minute experience. Back then Henderson had dismissed social media talk of a 2027 Dubai opening. He said a realistic first opening could fall around 2032, assuming ground breaks in 2027 and construction would take four to five years.