OTTAWA, April 3 (Xinhua) -- The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) announced Monday that Jeremy Hansen will be the first Canadian to fly around the moon as part of NASA's Artemis II mission.

The launch of Artemis II, expected to take place in 2024, will make Canada the second country to ever send an astronaut around the moon, CSA said in a news release.

"Being part of the Artemis II crew is both exciting and humbling. I'm excited to leverage my experience, training, and knowledge to take on this challenging mission on behalf of Canada. I'm humbled by the incredible contributions and hard work of so many Canadians that have made this opportunity a reality," said Hansen, a 47-year-old CSA astronaut, in the release.

According to the release, Hansen's Artemis II flight is a direct result of Canada's contribution of Canadarm3 to the Lunar Gateway. Through this contribution, Canada will also receive a range of opportunities for lunar science, technology demonstration and commercial activities, as well as another flight to the Lunar Gateway.

This crewed mission to the lunar vicinity will be the first since the end of the Apollo program 50 years ago. The approximately 10-day mission is designed to test the Orion spacecraft's systems, paving the way for humanity's sustainable presence on the lunar surface, the release said.