The four astronauts NASA picked for the first crewed moon mission in 50 years
The four astronauts NASA picked for the first crewed moon mission in 50 years
On Monday, NASA revealed the astronauts set to lead the first crewed lunar mission in half a century, marking the beginning of their training for the historic Artemis II flyby, which is scheduled for November 2024. The selected crew includes Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch from NASA, alongside Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency.
Commander: Reid Wiseman
Wiseman, a 47-year-old decorated naval aviator and test pilot, was first chosen for NASA’s astronaut program in 2009. Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, he completed a 165-day mission to the International Space Station in 2014, launched via a Russian Soyuz rocket. Following his role as chief of the astronaut office until November 2022, he is now tasked with commanding the Artemis II mission.
Flight Engineer: Victor Glover
Glover, a 46-year-old naval aviator, returned to Earth in 2021 after a six-month stay on the International Space Station aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. His experience spans military service in the U.S. and Japan during the 2000s, as well as a career as a legislative fellow in the U.S. Senate. With over 3,000 flight hours across more than 40 aircraft, he has completed 400 carrier landings and participated in 24 combat missions.
“It’s so much more than the four names that have been announced,” Glover stated during the Monday announcement at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “We need to celebrate this moment in human history. … It is the next step in the journey that will get humanity to Mars.”
Science Officer: Christina Koch
Koch, 44, has conducted six spacewalks, including the historic all-female spacewalk in 2019. She holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, spending 328 days in orbit. An electrical engineer, she contributed to the development of scientific instruments for various NASA missions. Additionally, she spent a year at the South Pole, an experience that could prepare her for the challenges of a lunar mission.
Canadian Crew Member: Jeremy Hansen
Hansen, 47, is a fighter pilot selected by the Canadian Space Agency for astronaut training in 2009. As one of only four active Canadian astronauts, he recently took charge of training a new class of NASA astronauts, making him the first Canadian to venture into deep space. His participation in the Artemis II mission will be a milestone for Canada’s space program.
The Artemis II mission follows the successful uncrewed Artemis I test flight, which traveled 1.4 million miles to orbit the moon in December 2022. NASA is currently analyzing the data from that mission to ensure readiness for the crewed version. The crew will depart from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center aboard the Space Launch System rocket, with a 10-day journey expected to take them farther from Earth than any humans have ventured before.
After completing their lunar orbit, the crew will return to Earth via a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Artemis II is seen as a critical precursor to Artemis III, which aims to land the first woman and person of color on the moon. However, key technologies, such as lunar landers and advanced spacesuits, are still under development to support this goal.
