NASA has chosen four astronauts for its first crewed mission to the moon in over five decades. The quartet, consisting of Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch from NASA, along with Victor Glover and Jeremy Hansen from Canada, will embark on a historic journey starting November 2024.
The Artemis II mission will mark the first time humans have visited the moon since the Apollo program concluded in 1972. As commander of the mission, Reid Wiseman, 47, is a decorated naval aviator and test pilot with a background in space exploration. He previously completed a six-month stay on the International Space Station and served as chief of the astronaut office before stepping down.
Victor Glover, another NASA astronaut, joined the crew at the last minute after being unexpectedly selected for the mission. The 46-year-old naval aviator had piloted SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft in 2021 and spent nearly six months aboard the International Space Station.
Christina Koch, a veteran of six spacewalks, including the first all-female spacewalk in 2019, will also be part of the mission. A native of Michigan, Koch holds a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, with a total of 328 days in space. Her extensive experience in scientific instruments development and arduous stays at extreme environments make her a valuable addition to the team.
Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency completes the crew as the first Canadian astronaut to travel to deep space. The 47-year-old fighter pilot was part of the Canadian Space Agency's astronaut training program in 2009 and recently took charge of training for new NASA astronauts.
The mission is seen as a crucial step towards establishing a permanent lunar outpost, paving the way for future human missions to Mars. With an expected journey time of around 10 days, the crew will travel beyond the moon's orbit, potentially setting a new record for the longest human spaceflight.
The selection process for this historic crew has been praised for its diversity, with three out of four members being women and including individuals from diverse backgrounds. The mission is set to take off in November 2024, with training sessions now underway.
The Artemis II mission will mark the first time humans have visited the moon since the Apollo program concluded in 1972. As commander of the mission, Reid Wiseman, 47, is a decorated naval aviator and test pilot with a background in space exploration. He previously completed a six-month stay on the International Space Station and served as chief of the astronaut office before stepping down.
Victor Glover, another NASA astronaut, joined the crew at the last minute after being unexpectedly selected for the mission. The 46-year-old naval aviator had piloted SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft in 2021 and spent nearly six months aboard the International Space Station.
Christina Koch, a veteran of six spacewalks, including the first all-female spacewalk in 2019, will also be part of the mission. A native of Michigan, Koch holds a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, with a total of 328 days in space. Her extensive experience in scientific instruments development and arduous stays at extreme environments make her a valuable addition to the team.
Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency completes the crew as the first Canadian astronaut to travel to deep space. The 47-year-old fighter pilot was part of the Canadian Space Agency's astronaut training program in 2009 and recently took charge of training for new NASA astronauts.
The mission is seen as a crucial step towards establishing a permanent lunar outpost, paving the way for future human missions to Mars. With an expected journey time of around 10 days, the crew will travel beyond the moon's orbit, potentially setting a new record for the longest human spaceflight.
The selection process for this historic crew has been praised for its diversity, with three out of four members being women and including individuals from diverse backgrounds. The mission is set to take off in November 2024, with training sessions now underway.
! Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch are like total legends for being part of this crew, and Victor Glover's last-minute pick is just wild 
. Jeremy Hansen is a great addition too, rep Canada all the way! 
I love how diverse the crew is, it's gonna be so cool to see women leading the charge in space exploration 
is giving me major goosebumps!! i love how diverse the crew is too - it's like, totally inclusive and awesome for women & ppl from different backgrounds 
can't wait to see them making history in space! 
I think it's so cool that we're finally going back to the moon after all these years! I mean, can you believe it? We've got a whole new crew of astronauts who are super talented and diverse - Reid Wiseman is like a total rockstar in space (he's been on the ISS six times!), Christina Koch is a total boss for being part of that first all-female spacewalk, and Jeremy Hansen is like, the ultimate Canadian astronaut 
! And Victor Glover just kinda showed up out of nowhere (in a good way) 
. I'm literally so stoked about this mission - it's not just about exploring the moon, but also about paving the way for future human missions to Mars and setting up that permanent lunar outpost. We're living in some crazy times! 
. But what I really love is that it's got a good mix of people, including women and from different backgrounds 
. Having Christina Koch on board is awesome, she's already set records for being in space and doing cool spacewalks 
. And Jeremy Hansen is gonna be the first Canadian to go into deep space, which is pretty cool 
... I mean, we've been saying we're gonna go back to the moon since like, forever 
, and now that it's actually happening, I guess it's cool? But 10 days in space? That sounds exhausting for anyone, let alone a crew of astronauts 
. And what about the cost? We're basically pouring all our space dollars into this one mission... what about all the other stuff NASA could be doing out there? 
. Reid Wiseman is like, super experienced with space travel, you know? And Christina Koch is a total boss, having done six spacewalks and holding that record for longest single spaceflight 
. And can you imagine the training sessions? I hope they're getting some awesome food in there, too 
. A permanent lunar outpost? That sounds like a total game-changer for space exploration 
I love how diverse this crew is too, it's like they're paving the way for future generations of astronauts from all walks of life! 
i was like 5 when that last happened and i remember watching it on tv with my family. we were all so excited! 
what's crazy is that this crew has a lot of experience in space and stuff, but victor glover got picked at the last minute lol. like, what if they hadnt gotten him? 
! I'm so stoked for Reid Wiseman 
, Christina Koch 
and Jeremy Hansen 
they're going to make history 
. it's been ages since humans visited the moon 
and even humans on Mars 
can't wait to see what's next 
. Four astronauts for this mission, awesome! Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch are solid choices, but Victor Glover's sudden addition is interesting, hope he can adjust quickly 
.
. I'm also super stoked that Victor Glover joined last minute - talk about being a trailblazer! 
, I love that NASA is representing diversity in all its glory 
?! The Artemis II mission has me hyped, can't wait to see this journey unfold 
!
! It's awesome to see diversity in the astronaut selection, three women out of four is a major win 
. I hope they can set that new record for longest human spaceflight 
!
anyway back to space travel, I think it's so cool how NASA is trying to make this Artemis mission a reality... but have you ever noticed how some of the best sci-fi movies and shows are inspired by real-life events or technology? Like, remember that show "Westworld" and how they depicted AI and robotics in such detail? Anyway, I wonder what kind of new tech will come out of all this space exploration stuff? maybe we'll see some amazing innovations soon!