NASA has announced the selection of its first crewed moon mission in nearly five decades, marking a historic milestone in the country's ambitious space program. The four astronauts who will embark on this journey are Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen.
Wiseman, a 47-year-old naval aviator from Baltimore, Maryland, is no stranger to space travel. Having completed one prior spaceflight aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket in 2014, he served as the chief of the astronaut office before stepping down in November 2022. Wiseman will serve as commander of the Artemis II mission.
Glover, another 47-year-old naval aviator from California, piloted the second crewed flight of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft and spent nearly six months aboard the International Space Station in 2021. A veteran of multiple spacewalks, including the first all-female spacewalk in 2019, Glover is known for his exceptional skills as a test pilot.
Christina Koch, a 44-year-old electrical engineer from Michigan, holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, spending an astonishing 328 days in space. A veteran of six spacewalks, including the historic all-female mission, Koch brings a wealth of experience to the Artemis II crew.
Jeremy Hansen, a 47-year-old fighter pilot from Canada, is one of only four active Canadian astronauts and will become the first Canadian to travel to deep space. Selected by NASA for astronaut training in 2009, Hansen recently became the first Canadian to be put in charge of training for a new class of NASA astronauts.
The Artemis II mission is expected to take off around November 2024 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida and will mark the first crewed moon mission since the Apollo program ended in 1972. The journey is expected to last about 10 days, with the spacecraft circling the moon before returning to Earth for a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean.
While the exact distance the spacecraft will travel beyond the moon is yet to be determined, NASA spokesperson Kathryn Hambleton noted that the "exact distance" will depend on the day of liftoff and the relative distance of the Moon from the Earth at the time of the mission.
The Artemis II mission represents a significant step forward in NASA's plans to establish a permanent lunar outpost and send humans to Mars. The crew members, who come from diverse backgrounds, were selected for their exceptional skills as test pilots and astronauts.
In an interview with CNN, Koch described the moment she found out she was selected as "speechless." She expressed her honor and excitement at being part of this historic team that is set to return to the moon and push humanity's presence in space further.
Wiseman, a 47-year-old naval aviator from Baltimore, Maryland, is no stranger to space travel. Having completed one prior spaceflight aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket in 2014, he served as the chief of the astronaut office before stepping down in November 2022. Wiseman will serve as commander of the Artemis II mission.
Glover, another 47-year-old naval aviator from California, piloted the second crewed flight of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft and spent nearly six months aboard the International Space Station in 2021. A veteran of multiple spacewalks, including the first all-female spacewalk in 2019, Glover is known for his exceptional skills as a test pilot.
Christina Koch, a 44-year-old electrical engineer from Michigan, holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, spending an astonishing 328 days in space. A veteran of six spacewalks, including the historic all-female mission, Koch brings a wealth of experience to the Artemis II crew.
Jeremy Hansen, a 47-year-old fighter pilot from Canada, is one of only four active Canadian astronauts and will become the first Canadian to travel to deep space. Selected by NASA for astronaut training in 2009, Hansen recently became the first Canadian to be put in charge of training for a new class of NASA astronauts.
The Artemis II mission is expected to take off around November 2024 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida and will mark the first crewed moon mission since the Apollo program ended in 1972. The journey is expected to last about 10 days, with the spacecraft circling the moon before returning to Earth for a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean.
While the exact distance the spacecraft will travel beyond the moon is yet to be determined, NASA spokesperson Kathryn Hambleton noted that the "exact distance" will depend on the day of liftoff and the relative distance of the Moon from the Earth at the time of the mission.
The Artemis II mission represents a significant step forward in NASA's plans to establish a permanent lunar outpost and send humans to Mars. The crew members, who come from diverse backgrounds, were selected for their exceptional skills as test pilots and astronauts.
In an interview with CNN, Koch described the moment she found out she was selected as "speechless." She expressed her honor and excitement at being part of this historic team that is set to return to the moon and push humanity's presence in space further.
right now... I just planted some new tomatoes and they're looking super healthy! I wonder if I can get them to grow into the most epic tomato plant ever 
. Do you think it's weird that NASA astronauts have to go through so much training for space travel? I mean, can't they just, like, wing it or something? 
Just kidding, sorta... anyway, has anyone seen those new avocado toast trends online? 
I think it's so cool that we're finally going back to the moon, especially after all these years! The selection of this crew is amazing, each one of them has such a unique experience and skillset 
. Reid Wiseman being the commander and having been part of space travel before makes me feel like he knows what he's doing 
. And Christina Koch holding that record for the longest single spaceflight is just mind-blowing 
.
I love how diverse the crew is, it's not just about one type of skill or expertise, it's about bringing different perspectives and experiences together to achieve this goal 
. The fact that they're working towards establishing a permanent lunar outpost and sending humans to Mars is like, totally mind-blowing 
.
. I'm definitely keeping an eye on this mission, it's going to be epic!
I'm not buyin' all this 'historic milestone' nonsense...
It gives me hope for humanity's future in space exploration. Plus, Christina Koch's record-breaking 328 days in space is insane 
. And what's with all these astronauts being selected for their "exceptional skills as test pilots" - that's like saying I'm good at video games because I've spent 100s of hours playing Fortnite 
, and Jeremy Hansen is repping Canada in deep space 
. Artemis II mission is gonna be lit, can't wait to see those astronauts take off in Nov 2024! 
. I know some people might be thinking about the long-term goals of NASA's plans, like establishing a permanent lunar outpost, but let's be real...the first step is the most exciting 
! The fact that Jeremy Hansen is going to be the first Canadian to travel to deep space is also super cool 
! I mean, who wouldn't want to be part of this historic team? The selection process must have been super competitive since we're talking about the crème de la crème of astronauts here 
. And can't wait to see what this journey brings - maybe we'll even have a lunar outpost soon?! The future of space exploration is looking bright 
. NASA, you're making us proud 
!