NASA has announced the selection of four astronauts who will embark on the first crewed mission to the moon in over five decades. The quartet, consisting of Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, is set to begin training for the Artemis II lunar flyby, scheduled to launch in November 2024.
Wiseman, a decorated naval aviator and test pilot from Baltimore, Maryland, will serve as commander of the mission. He previously completed one spaceflight on a Russian Soyuz rocket in 2014 and most recently served as chief of the astronaut office before stepping down in November 2022.
Hansen, a fighter pilot from London, Ontario, Canada, is one of only four active Canadian astronauts. He will become the first Canadian to travel to deep space and will lead an all-female crew on the mission.
Glover, a naval aviator from California, previously flew on the SpaceX Crew-1 mission in 2020 and spent nearly six months aboard the International Space Station. Koch, a veteran of six spacewalks and holder of the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, is also set to join the crew.
The Artemis II mission will be a crucial step towards establishing a permanent lunar outpost and paving the way for sending humans to Mars. The crew will embark on a 10-day journey, circling the moon before returning to Earth for a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean.
The selection process was shrouded in secrecy until the astronauts revealed their identities during a meeting with CNN's Ed Lavandera. Koch described being "speechless" when offered the spot and emphasized her excitement about being part of a historic team that will return to the moon and head towards Mars.
NASA's Johnson Space Center director, Vanessa Wyche, highlighted the diversity of the crew, which marks a significant shift from past missions dominated by White male test pilots. The Artemis III mission, set for later this decade, aims to put the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface and will require significant technological advancements.
The four astronauts will be featured in an upcoming interview on CNN's "This Morning" starting Tuesday at 6 am ET.
Wiseman, a decorated naval aviator and test pilot from Baltimore, Maryland, will serve as commander of the mission. He previously completed one spaceflight on a Russian Soyuz rocket in 2014 and most recently served as chief of the astronaut office before stepping down in November 2022.
Hansen, a fighter pilot from London, Ontario, Canada, is one of only four active Canadian astronauts. He will become the first Canadian to travel to deep space and will lead an all-female crew on the mission.
Glover, a naval aviator from California, previously flew on the SpaceX Crew-1 mission in 2020 and spent nearly six months aboard the International Space Station. Koch, a veteran of six spacewalks and holder of the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, is also set to join the crew.
The Artemis II mission will be a crucial step towards establishing a permanent lunar outpost and paving the way for sending humans to Mars. The crew will embark on a 10-day journey, circling the moon before returning to Earth for a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean.
The selection process was shrouded in secrecy until the astronauts revealed their identities during a meeting with CNN's Ed Lavandera. Koch described being "speechless" when offered the spot and emphasized her excitement about being part of a historic team that will return to the moon and head towards Mars.
NASA's Johnson Space Center director, Vanessa Wyche, highlighted the diversity of the crew, which marks a significant shift from past missions dominated by White male test pilots. The Artemis III mission, set for later this decade, aims to put the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface and will require significant technological advancements.
The four astronauts will be featured in an upcoming interview on CNN's "This Morning" starting Tuesday at 6 am ET.
Interesting that NASA is finally moving forward with a crewed mission to the moon after so many years of planning and preparation. The diversity of the selected astronauts is also a big deal - it's about time we see more women and people from different backgrounds in space 
Jeremy Hansen becoming the first Canadian to travel to deep space is super cool, btw 
I'm low-key hyped about this squad! Reid Wiseman is gonna lead the mission, and it's dope to see a naval aviator from Baltimore taking charge 
. Jeremy Hansen is gonna be a trailblazer for Canada, too - first Canadian in deep space 
! The diversity of this crew is insane 
, and Christina Koch's stoked to be part of history-making team 
. I'm so down for more astro-inspo 
. The crew is diverse and that's awesome, I love how NASA is pushing boundaries by having an all-female lead on this mission 
. Jeremy Hansen becoming the first Canadian in deep space is a big deal too, it shows we're not just talking about Americans anymore 
, would love to see what goes down in those simulations.
and then maybe we'll see a woman and person of color on the moon too 
. Jeremy Hansen leading an all-female crew? Yes please, let's do this! And a historic team for Mars next? That's what I'm hyped about 
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! Jeremy Hansen's gonna be the first Canadian in deep space? 
. November 2024 can't come soon enough for the Artemis II mission 
November 2024 can't come soon enough 
how cool is that?! NASA's all about making history & pushing boundaries now