Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen is stepping down from his full-time role with the Canadian Space Agency, months after making history as part of NASA's Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight around the moon in more than 50 years, he announced on Instagram.

Hansen, 50, said he will transition from his position with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) while continuing to support Canada's space program in a new capacity.

"The change is far from a departure," Hansen wrote. "It's a deliberate launchpad designed to leave the door open for creative, ongoing ways to support and enable the vital work happening in Canada with respect to space."

He added that he will continue serving as a reservist with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

"To the Canadian Armed Forces, the CSA, NASA, our international partners, and my family: thank you," Hansen wrote. "And to all Canadians: thank you for believing in what our country can achieve when we aim high. The mission continues."

According to the Canadian Space Agency, Hansen has served in the Royal Canadian Air Force for 32 years and spent the past 17 years as one of Canada's astronauts, NBC News reported on Tuesday.

During his career, Hansen participated in several specialized training missions, including the CAVES program in 2013, during which astronauts lived underground for six days to simulate the isolation and teamwork required for spaceflight.

A year later, he joined NASA's NEEMO 19 mission, spending seven days living and working aboard the Aquarius underwater habitat to rehearse conditions similar to those encountered in space.

In 2017, Hansen became the first Canadian selected to lead a NASA astronaut class, overseeing the training of astronauts from the U.S. and Canada.

Canada's National Defense Minister David McGuinty praised Hansen's service, calling him a model of leadership and professionalism.

"Through his distinguished service in the Royal Canadian Air Force and invaluable contributions to Canada's space program, he has exemplified the very best of Canadian leadership and excellence," McGuinty said in a statement. "His legacy will continue to inspire future generations to pursue careers in science, innovation, and discovery."

Hansen gained international recognition in April when he joined three American astronauts aboard NASA's Artemis II mission, which carried a crew around the moon and marked humanity's return to deep-space exploration with astronauts for the first time in more than five decades, NBC News reported.

During the mission, the crew became the first humans to travel that far from Earth, the first people to view the moon's entire far side with their own eyes and the first astronauts to witness a solar eclipse from lunar distance.

Speaking from space during the mission, Hansen described the experience as overwhelming.

He said photographs captured during the mission could not fully convey what the crew witnessed. "I know those photos are amazing," Hansen said, "but let me assure you, it is another level of amazing up here."