Astronauts Selected for Historic Moon Mission Are Trained and Ready, NASA Reveals
Four astronauts from the United States and Canada have been picked to embark on the first crewed moon mission in five decades. They are part of a historic Artemis II mission that will send humans back to the lunar surface.
Reid Wiseman, 47, an experienced naval aviator and test pilot, will lead the mission as commander. A veteran of spaceflight, Wiseman spent 165 days aboard the International Space Station in 2014 and most recently served as chief of the astronaut office before stepping down last year.
Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, also 47, is a fighter pilot who was selected for astronaut training in 2009. He will become the first Canadian to travel to deep space on this mission.
The fourth crew member, Christina Koch, 44, is an electrical engineer and veteran of six spacewalks, including the first all-female spacewalk in 2019. She holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman and has spent a year at the South Pole.
Astronaut Victor Glover, 46, will join the crew on the historic mission. A naval aviator with over 3,000 flight hours to his name, he returned from his first spaceflight in 2021 after spending six months aboard the International Space Station.
The Artemis II mission is expected to launch in November 2024 and take about 10 days to complete. The crew will embark on a lunar flyby that will send them out beyond the moon for potentially further than any human has traveled before.
While NASA is targeting a 2025 launch date for the Artemis III mission, which aims to put the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface, delays are expected.
The selection process for this historic mission was overseen by the director of NASA's Johnson Space Center, Vanessa Wyche. The crew includes men and women from diverse backgrounds, a significant departure from previous missions that were dominated by White male test pilots.
For Koch and her fellow astronauts, being selected for this mission is an honor not just for themselves but also for their colleagues and the entire space agency.
The four astronauts will be interviewed on "CNN This Morning" on Tuesday, starting at 6 am ET.
Four astronauts from the United States and Canada have been picked to embark on the first crewed moon mission in five decades. They are part of a historic Artemis II mission that will send humans back to the lunar surface.
Reid Wiseman, 47, an experienced naval aviator and test pilot, will lead the mission as commander. A veteran of spaceflight, Wiseman spent 165 days aboard the International Space Station in 2014 and most recently served as chief of the astronaut office before stepping down last year.
Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, also 47, is a fighter pilot who was selected for astronaut training in 2009. He will become the first Canadian to travel to deep space on this mission.
The fourth crew member, Christina Koch, 44, is an electrical engineer and veteran of six spacewalks, including the first all-female spacewalk in 2019. She holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman and has spent a year at the South Pole.
Astronaut Victor Glover, 46, will join the crew on the historic mission. A naval aviator with over 3,000 flight hours to his name, he returned from his first spaceflight in 2021 after spending six months aboard the International Space Station.
The Artemis II mission is expected to launch in November 2024 and take about 10 days to complete. The crew will embark on a lunar flyby that will send them out beyond the moon for potentially further than any human has traveled before.
While NASA is targeting a 2025 launch date for the Artemis III mission, which aims to put the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface, delays are expected.
The selection process for this historic mission was overseen by the director of NASA's Johnson Space Center, Vanessa Wyche. The crew includes men and women from diverse backgrounds, a significant departure from previous missions that were dominated by White male test pilots.
For Koch and her fellow astronauts, being selected for this mission is an honor not just for themselves but also for their colleagues and the entire space agency.
The four astronauts will be interviewed on "CNN This Morning" on Tuesday, starting at 6 am ET.
The fact that we're finally witnessing a significant shift in astronaut demographics with the inclusion of women and individuals from diverse backgrounds is truly a step forward for humanity 
. I must say, I'm impressed by Christina Koch's impressive spaceflight record and her trailblazing achievements as part of this historic mission 
. It's heartening to see that NASA has taken steps to increase representation among its astronauts, which will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the future of space exploration 
. Four awesome astronauts from the US and Canada have been chosen for this huge feat 
. I love that there are men and women from diverse backgrounds on board, it's a great representation of what we can achieve when we work together 
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. We've been talking about this mission for years now and it's still not clear if they'll reach their 2025 launch date. Fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly and we get to see them on the moon soon 
, can't wait to learn more about the crew and what they'll be doing up there 
. Bring it on, space travel!!! 
Christina also set a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman - talk about trailblazer status 
. Can't wait to see them on CNN This Morning in Nov 2024! 
And can you imagine the stories they'll be sharing after this mission? The first Canadian in deep space, the longest single spaceflight by a woman... it's gonna be EPIC!
Still super hyped though! The Artemis II mission in 2024 can't come soon enough! 
November 2024 can't come soon enough, I guess we'll have to wait till 2025 for Artemis III... but still, whoa! 
They've got so much experience and expertise between them, it's crazy to think about what they'll be doing on that mission. And the fact that we're finally seeing a more diverse crew is a huge step forward for NASA - I mean, Christina Koch breaking that record for longest single spaceflight by a woman was already amazing, but now she gets to do even more 
. November 2024 can't come soon enough! 
Reid Wiseman is a total boss as commander 
. This mission is not just about the astronauts though, it's about what we can learn from exploring space and pushing humanity forward 
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. Did you hear about the whole SpaceX-Ukraine thing? What if it was all connected? Just saying, keep an open mind, folks 
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. Can't wait to see these astronauts in action and maybe even spot them on CNN on Tuesday 
I'm literally hyped for this historic moon mission! Four amazing astronauts from different countries & backgrounds are about to make history 