NASA has selected four astronauts to venture around the Moon on the Artemis II mission. This mission represents the first crewed mission for NASA's long-term presence on the Moon for science and exploration through Artemis.
The Artemis II flight test is expected to last around 10 days and launch on NASA's Space Launch System rocket. The team will work together to demonstrate the capabilities and techniques humans need to live and work in deep space.
For the First Time in 50 Years
The crew members for the Artemis II mission are Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist 1 Christina Hammock Koch, and Mission Specialist 2 Jeremy Hansen.
"For the first time in more than 50 years, these individuals - the Artemis II crew - will be the first humans to fly to the vicinity of the Moon," Director Vanessa Wyche, NASA Johnson, said in a statement.
Among the crew are the first woman, the first person of color, and the first Canadian on a lunar mission, and all four astronauts will represent the best of humanity as they explore for the benefit of all."
The mission will pave the way for future long-term human exploration missions to the Moon and Mars. This is the agency's Moon to Mars exploration approach.
The mission will build on the success of NASA's unmanned Artemis I mission, which was completed in December.
The Artemis II mission will pave the way for the first woman and person of color to ascend to the Moon as part of the Artemis program.
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The Artemis II Astronauts
Commander Reid Wiseman has been to space before, serving as a flight engineer aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for Expedition 41 from May through November 2014. He has logged over 165 days in space, including almost 13 hours as lead spacewalker during two trips outside the ISS.
Pilot Victor Glover will make his second spaceflight on the Artemis II mission, having previously served as a flight engineer aboard the space station for Expedition 64. He contributed to scientific investigations and technology demonstrations and participated in four spacewalks.
Mission Specialist 1 Christina Hammock Koch will also make her second flight into space on the Artemis II mission. She was the flight engineer aboard the space station for Expedition 59, 60, and 61. Koch holds a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, with a total of 328 days in space, and took part in the very first all-female spacewalks.
Canada's Mission Specialist 2 Jeremy Hansen is taking his maiden space journey. Through the third Canadian Astronaut Recruitment Campaign, the Canadian Space Agency chose him as one of two recruits in May 2009.
In addition to serving as Capcom at NASA's Johnson Mission Control Center, Hansen became the first Canadian to teach a NASA astronaut class in 2017, instructing astronaut candidates from both the US and Canada.
Director of Flight Operations Norm Knight spoke about how proud he is that the Artemis II crew members will start the journeys to the Moon and beyond.
He explained that they represent what an astronaut corps should be, consisting of highly capable and accomplished individuals with the skills and determination to take on any trial as a team.
He emphasized how the Artemis II mission will be challenging, and the team will test their limits as they prepare to put future astronauts on the Moon.
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