Four astronauts, including three NASA crew members and one from the Canadian Space Agency, have been selected for the first crewed mission to the moon in nearly five decades. The Artemis II mission is slated to launch in November 2024, with a journey expected to take around 10 days.
Commander Reid Wiseman, 47, a decorated naval aviator and test pilot, will lead the mission aboard the Orion spacecraft. Wiseman has previously flown to space, spending 165 days on the International Space Station in 2014. He served as chief of the astronaut office before stepping down last year.
Also part of the crew is Victor Glover, 46, a naval aviator who piloted SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft and spent nearly six months aboard the ISS in 2021. Glover holds over 3,000 flight hours across more than 40 aircraft.
Christina Koch, 44, a veteran spacewalker with six EVA credits under her belt, including the first all-female spacewalk in 2019. Koch holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman and has spent over 328 days in space.
Lastly, Jeremy Hansen, 47, a fighter pilot from the Canadian Space Agency, will be the first Canadian to venture into deep space. Hansen was selected as an astronaut in 2009 and recently became the first Canadian to lead training for a new class of NASA astronauts.
Glover reflected on the mission's significance, stating it marks "the next step in the journey that will get humanity to Mars." The Artemis II crew will embark on a historic lunar flyby, building momentum for the upcoming Artemis III mission, which aims to put the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface.
Commander Reid Wiseman, 47, a decorated naval aviator and test pilot, will lead the mission aboard the Orion spacecraft. Wiseman has previously flown to space, spending 165 days on the International Space Station in 2014. He served as chief of the astronaut office before stepping down last year.
Also part of the crew is Victor Glover, 46, a naval aviator who piloted SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft and spent nearly six months aboard the ISS in 2021. Glover holds over 3,000 flight hours across more than 40 aircraft.
Christina Koch, 44, a veteran spacewalker with six EVA credits under her belt, including the first all-female spacewalk in 2019. Koch holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman and has spent over 328 days in space.
Lastly, Jeremy Hansen, 47, a fighter pilot from the Canadian Space Agency, will be the first Canadian to venture into deep space. Hansen was selected as an astronaut in 2009 and recently became the first Canadian to lead training for a new class of NASA astronauts.
Glover reflected on the mission's significance, stating it marks "the next step in the journey that will get humanity to Mars." The Artemis II crew will embark on a historic lunar flyby, building momentum for the upcoming Artemis III mission, which aims to put the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface.
First crewed mission to the moon in almost 50 years? That's insane! The fact that we've got a diverse team leading the way is just amazing. Commander Wiseman and Christina Koch are total rockstars for their spacewalk skills and time spent in space. And Jeremy Hansen getting to be the first Canadian in deep space is like, a dream come true 
. This mission is gonna pave the way for us to finally set foot on Mars (or at least send a woman and person of color there). The fact that Glover's all about this being the next step towards greatness just gets me pumped up! 10 days in space? That's like, an eternity... but I'm sure they'll be fine 
. Can't wait to see these astronauts crush it on Artemis II 
! 10-day journey is pretty crazy too, I mean, who knew space travel was still gonna be that fast? 
The fact that there's a Canadian on this mission is also cool, Jeremy Hansen seems like an awesome pilot dude 
. And it's dope that they're building momentum for the Mars mission, that's like, the ultimate goal right? 
And Jeremy Hansen being the first Canadian in deep space is awesome 
. This mission feels like a big step towards getting humanity to Mars, and I'm all about that intergalactic adventure 
? I mean, it's about time we got some leadership from a space agency that actually has some experience 
. I'm all for pushing humanity forward, but let's not forget where we're going with this Artemis II mission 
. It's just a lunar flyby, what does that really prove? We need concrete steps towards Mars, not just a fancy space taxi ride 
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. That's some serious taxpayer cash being thrown around 
. How are we going to justify this expense when there are still pressing issues here on Earth? Priorities, people! 
! I mean, 10-day trip is a pretty significant undertaking, but the fact that we're doing it with a diverse crew is what gets me most excited 
. Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen are all rockstars in their own right, and it's awesome to see them pushing the boundaries of space travel 
), but if we're gonna make humanity a multi-planetary species, we gotta start moving in the right direction!
. The fact that Jeremy Hansen was leading training for new NASA astronauts just shows you that the spirit of exploration and discovery is alive and well 
!
️. And what's up with the lack of transparency on the mission's timeline and budget? NASA always seems to keep us guessing 
i mean what if they get space rations sickness ? cant imagine christina koch doing a 6eva out there for THAT long she must be made of space steel lol 
. But what really gets me excited is that Christina Koch is part of the crew... her spacewalk skills are on point 
! It's all about building momentum for that next mission to Mars, and I'm rooting for it 
- Canadian pride is everything! November 2024 can't come soon enough 
This is so cool! I'm living for the fact that we're actually getting back to the moon in a big way. The crew looks amazing too - all these experienced astronauts who have flown to space multiple times, it's like a dream team 
. It's crazy how Glover sees this mission as a step towards Mars, and I'm hoping they can make that happen soon too 
can't believe it's been like 5 decades since we last had humans on the moon 
Christina Koch is a total rockstar too, with six EVA credits and holding that record for longest single spaceflight by a woman 
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, and Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency 
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!