NASA has chosen its first crew for a mission to the moon in over five decades. The quartet of astronauts, Reid Wiseman from NASA and Christina Koch from NASA along with Victor Glover from NASA and Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency will embark on an Artemis II lunar flyby later this year.
Wiseman, who was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2009, is set to lead the mission. A decorated naval aviator and test pilot, Wiseman has previously flown aboard the Russian Soyuz rocket to spend 165 days in space. He is one of only four active Canadian astronauts, Hansen being the first Canadian to be put in charge of training for a new class of NASA astronauts.
Glover, who was selected by NASA in 2013, piloted the second crewed flight of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft and spent nearly six months aboard the International Space Station. He returned to Earth from his spaceflight after piloting the spacecraft, marking his first time returning to Earth since taking off on his journey.
Koch, a veteran of six spacewalks, holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman. She spent 328 days in space and also helped develop scientific instruments for multiple NASA missions. Koch's previous stay at the South Pole may have prepared her well for the intensity of a moon mission.
The journey to the moon is expected to take about ten days, during which time the crew will launch atop a NASA-developed Space Launch System rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The exact distance that the crew will travel beyond the Moon has yet to be determined but is expected to be further than any human has traveled before.
The Artemis II mission marks an important milestone for NASA, paving the way for future missions that aim to establish a permanent lunar outpost and eventually send humans to Mars. It also represents a significant step forward in terms of diversity, with men and women selected for this historic mission.
In an interview, Koch stated that receiving her selection was "speechless" and that she felt honored to be part of the team going back to the Moon and towards Mars.
Wiseman, who was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2009, is set to lead the mission. A decorated naval aviator and test pilot, Wiseman has previously flown aboard the Russian Soyuz rocket to spend 165 days in space. He is one of only four active Canadian astronauts, Hansen being the first Canadian to be put in charge of training for a new class of NASA astronauts.
Glover, who was selected by NASA in 2013, piloted the second crewed flight of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft and spent nearly six months aboard the International Space Station. He returned to Earth from his spaceflight after piloting the spacecraft, marking his first time returning to Earth since taking off on his journey.
Koch, a veteran of six spacewalks, holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman. She spent 328 days in space and also helped develop scientific instruments for multiple NASA missions. Koch's previous stay at the South Pole may have prepared her well for the intensity of a moon mission.
The journey to the moon is expected to take about ten days, during which time the crew will launch atop a NASA-developed Space Launch System rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The exact distance that the crew will travel beyond the Moon has yet to be determined but is expected to be further than any human has traveled before.
The Artemis II mission marks an important milestone for NASA, paving the way for future missions that aim to establish a permanent lunar outpost and eventually send humans to Mars. It also represents a significant step forward in terms of diversity, with men and women selected for this historic mission.
In an interview, Koch stated that receiving her selection was "speechless" and that she felt honored to be part of the team going back to the Moon and towards Mars.
NASA is finally doing it!! I'm so hyped for this Artemis II mission!!! Reid Wiseman leading the crew tho, he's like a total space legend 
. And Christina Koch is a total boss girl, her record for longest single spaceflight by a woman is everything 
. I love that there's diversity on this team too 
, it's about time we see more women and people of color in space exploration. Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency is also a total win 
, he's one of only four active Canadian astronauts now! Glover's experience with SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft is so cool 
, I'm sure he'll bring that expertise to the mission. Can't wait for this journey to the moon and beyond! It's gonna be so epic 
I'm stoked to see NASA's Artemis II crew is finally taking shape! 
The fact that there's a mix of men and women on this mission, it's a big deal 
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. And Christina Koch's spacewalk record and longest single spaceflight by a woman are seriously impressive 
. The Artemis II mission is just the beginning, but it's a big step towards more exciting missions like establishing a permanent lunar outpost and sending humans to Mars in the future 
...Christina Koch's record-breaking spaceflight & Jeremy Hansen's Canadian background add a fascinating layer to this mission 
...it'll be interesting to see how they fare during their 10-day lunar flyby & what insights they gather along the way 
And can we talk about how cool it is that Jeremy Hansen is from Canada?! 
The fact that they'll be traveling further than any human has before is just mind-blowing - what an incredible achievement! 