NASA has selected four astronauts to embark on the first crewed mission to the moon in five decades. The quartet, which will be training for the historic Artemis II lunar flyby, includes Reid Wiseman of NASA, Victor Glover and Christina Koch of NASA, and Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency.
The 47-year-old Wiseman, a decorated naval aviator and test pilot from Baltimore, Maryland, was selected in 2009. He has completed one prior spaceflight to the International Space Station and served as chief of the astronaut office before stepping down last November. Wiseman will serve as commander of the Artemis II mission.
Hansen, 47, is a fighter pilot who was part of Canada's astronaut training program in 2009. From London, Ontario, Hansen will become the first Canadian to travel to deep space. He recently became the first Canadian to oversee training for a new class of NASA astronauts.
Glover and Koch are also seasoned astronauts. The 46-year-old Glover piloted SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft on his first spaceflight in 2021 and spent nearly six months aboard the International Space Station, while Koch holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, with 328 days in space. Both astronauts share an enthusiasm to explore the moon and embark on future missions to Mars.
The Artemis II mission is expected to take off around November 2024 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the first time humans have touched down on the moon since the Apollo program ended in 1972. The crew will launch atop a NASA-developed Space Launch System rocket and embark on a 10-day journey beyond the moon.
However, several challenges remain before this mission can take place. Much of the necessary technology for the Artemis III mission, which aims to put the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface, is still in development. The space agency is now targeting a 2025 launch date for Artemis III, but delays are likely.
The selection process was shrouded in mystery, with the director of NASA's Johnson Space Center refusing to provide details. However, she did emphasize the diversity of the Artemis II crew, highlighting that they include both men and women rather than just a staff of White male test pilots as has been the case for historic missions.
The four astronauts will be interviewed on CNN This Morning on Tuesday, offering viewers an exclusive look at their experiences before embarking on this monumental journey.
The 47-year-old Wiseman, a decorated naval aviator and test pilot from Baltimore, Maryland, was selected in 2009. He has completed one prior spaceflight to the International Space Station and served as chief of the astronaut office before stepping down last November. Wiseman will serve as commander of the Artemis II mission.
Hansen, 47, is a fighter pilot who was part of Canada's astronaut training program in 2009. From London, Ontario, Hansen will become the first Canadian to travel to deep space. He recently became the first Canadian to oversee training for a new class of NASA astronauts.
Glover and Koch are also seasoned astronauts. The 46-year-old Glover piloted SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft on his first spaceflight in 2021 and spent nearly six months aboard the International Space Station, while Koch holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, with 328 days in space. Both astronauts share an enthusiasm to explore the moon and embark on future missions to Mars.
The Artemis II mission is expected to take off around November 2024 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the first time humans have touched down on the moon since the Apollo program ended in 1972. The crew will launch atop a NASA-developed Space Launch System rocket and embark on a 10-day journey beyond the moon.
However, several challenges remain before this mission can take place. Much of the necessary technology for the Artemis III mission, which aims to put the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface, is still in development. The space agency is now targeting a 2025 launch date for Artemis III, but delays are likely.
The selection process was shrouded in mystery, with the director of NASA's Johnson Space Center refusing to provide details. However, she did emphasize the diversity of the Artemis II crew, highlighting that they include both men and women rather than just a staff of White male test pilots as has been the case for historic missions.
The four astronauts will be interviewed on CNN This Morning on Tuesday, offering viewers an exclusive look at their experiences before embarking on this monumental journey.
y'all won't believe who NASA just picked to go to the moon!!! Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen are going to make history! I'm literally so hyped 
I mean, can you even imagine what it's gonna be like when they're walking on the lunar surface?! 
It's been way too long since we've had humans on the moon, but this is the perfect team for the job! Glover and Koch are already seasoned pros, and Wiseman has some serious experience under his belt. And Hansen? He's breaking all sorts of records as a Canadian in space! 
I'm seriously counting down to November 2024 when Artemis II takes off. We're gonna witness history, folks!
... I mean, it's awesome that they've got a diverse group of astronauts, but are we really ready for the Artemis III mission yet? 
And don't even get me started on the secrecy surrounding the selection process... like, come on NASA, be more transparent! 
At the same time, I'm stoked that we're getting closer to returning humans to the moon 
Jeremy Hansen is gonna be the first Canadian in deep space, which is cool and all, but what about the rest of us on Earth who are still waiting for our own lunar adventure?! 
Another space mission, another bunch of people risking their lives to explore the moon... and we still haven't solved our own problems 
. Four astronauts selected for Artemis II, but have you heard about the poor working conditions at NASA's Johnson Space Center? Employees are reporting long hours and lack of resources 
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. Artemis III is still in development, which means we'll be waiting until 2025 to see a woman and person of color set foot on the lunar surface... if that happens at all 
. The lack of transparency from NASA is frustrating too - they can't even tell us what's going on behind the scenes 
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. The real challenge is getting the mission off the ground without any major hiccups... fingers crossed 
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. Having women and people of color on board will bring a fresh perspective and new energy to the mission 
. Fingers crossed that the Artemis III mission gets off the ground without too many delays 
. We're finally getting back on track for a manned mission to Mars 
. Reid Wiseman's leadership experience and Jeremy Hansen's Canadian pride will surely bring some fresh perspectives to the table 
They're just skipping all the safety checks and hoping everything works out magically... No thanks! 
And what's with the secrecy around the selection process? Director of NASA's Johnson Space Center refusing to provide details? 
That's like, super dodgy. Shouldn't they be more transparent about their plans? Not just some vague promises and timelines 
! The fact that they're all seasoned astronauts is giving me LIFE 
I'm not even ready for November 2024 yet, it's gonna be a wild ride!!!
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Also, Christina Koch holding the record for longest single spaceflight by a woman?! Respect 
I'm hyped for Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen - they're gonna make history! 
I'm also low-key excited to see how the tech develops for Artemis III... a 2025 launch date sounds ambitious, but I got faith in NASA 
. What's up with these tech challenges tho? 
Christina Koch is also an inspiration, her record for longest single spaceflight is insane! 328 days in space?! 
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but seriously, this is such an exciting time for space exploration & i hope we can get some real updates soon! 
. what's next? sending people to mars? it's all just a bunch of hype, if you ask me...