NASA Names its First Crewed Moon Mission Astronauts in Five Decades, Including Three from the US and One Canadian.
In a historic announcement, NASA revealed the names of the four astronauts selected for the first crewed moon mission in over five decades. The team will be led by Reid Wiseman, a decorated naval aviator and test pilot who was part of the Apollo 14 mission back in 2014. Wiseman, 47, will serve as commander of the Artemis II mission, which is set to launch in November 2024.
Also selected for the mission are Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen. Glover, a naval aviator who spent six months aboard the International Space Station in 2021, brings his experience piloting the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft to the team. Koch, a veteran of six spacewalks and the record holder for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, will join Wiseman on this historic mission.
Hansen, a fighter pilot from Canada, becomes the first Canadian astronaut to be selected for a deep-space mission. The four astronauts have been chosen for their diverse backgrounds and expertise, reflecting NASA's commitment to diversity and inclusion in its astronaut corps.
The Artemis II mission is an uncrewed test of NASA's Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket, which will pave the way for future missions to the moon and beyond. After circling the moon, the spacecraft will return to Earth for a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean.
While the exact distance of the journey has yet to be determined, NASA estimates that it will take about 10 days to reach the moon. The mission is expected to mark a major milestone in human spaceflight history and will set the stage for future missions to establish a permanent lunar outpost.
"We have requirements different than we did (when we) just had test pilots," said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA's Johnson Space Center. "The group found out they were selected a few weeks ago."
The astronauts expressed their excitement and gratitude at being part of this historic mission. For Koch, it was an honor to be selected for the team, saying, "It truly is an honor...to be a part of this team that's going back to the moon and on to Mars."
In a historic announcement, NASA revealed the names of the four astronauts selected for the first crewed moon mission in over five decades. The team will be led by Reid Wiseman, a decorated naval aviator and test pilot who was part of the Apollo 14 mission back in 2014. Wiseman, 47, will serve as commander of the Artemis II mission, which is set to launch in November 2024.
Also selected for the mission are Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen. Glover, a naval aviator who spent six months aboard the International Space Station in 2021, brings his experience piloting the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft to the team. Koch, a veteran of six spacewalks and the record holder for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, will join Wiseman on this historic mission.
Hansen, a fighter pilot from Canada, becomes the first Canadian astronaut to be selected for a deep-space mission. The four astronauts have been chosen for their diverse backgrounds and expertise, reflecting NASA's commitment to diversity and inclusion in its astronaut corps.
The Artemis II mission is an uncrewed test of NASA's Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket, which will pave the way for future missions to the moon and beyond. After circling the moon, the spacecraft will return to Earth for a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean.
While the exact distance of the journey has yet to be determined, NASA estimates that it will take about 10 days to reach the moon. The mission is expected to mark a major milestone in human spaceflight history and will set the stage for future missions to establish a permanent lunar outpost.
"We have requirements different than we did (when we) just had test pilots," said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA's Johnson Space Center. "The group found out they were selected a few weeks ago."
The astronauts expressed their excitement and gratitude at being part of this historic mission. For Koch, it was an honor to be selected for the team, saying, "It truly is an honor...to be a part of this team that's going back to the moon and on to Mars."
i'm so hyped for them!!! they have 3 americans and 1 canadian which is pretty cool cuz canada 
. there's this one guy Jeremy Hansen from canada who's never been to space before but he's a fighter pilot 
. and there's also Christina Koch who's like a total boss and set the record for longest spaceflight by a woman 
. can u believe it's gonna take them 10 days to get to the moon 
?! i wonder what they're gonna eat on that mission 
Reid Wiseman is like totally qualified tho, been in space before, what more do we need? 
And can we pls give it up for Jeremy Hansen, 1st Canadian astronaut on deep-space mission 
! I'm low-key hyped 4 this mission, Mars here we come! 
But like, how did they even choose ppl? didn't they test them or wut?! seems like a bunch of luck to me 
cant believe canada got represnted by jeremy hansen 
and the fact that there r three americans on board is kinda cool i guess 
We've been waiting for humans to return to the moon for decades, and now we're finally seeing it happen! This historic mission marks not only a major milestone in human spaceflight but also a testament to our nation's commitment to exploration and diversity. Let's keep pushing forward and reaching for the stars!
and why canadian astronaut, didn't they have enough ppl to choose from in their own country?
. Jeremy Hansen is like the cool uncle from Canada who gets to join the party, congrats to him! 
I'm also hyped that Christina Koch is on board, she's got some serious space cred with six spacewalks under her belt 
. Reid Wiseman as commander though? That dude has been flying planes since he was like 10 
And did you know that NASA's Orion spacecraft has already been tested in space? Like, it's been orbiting the Earth for months. 