NASA has selected a diverse group of four astronauts for its first crewed mission to the moon in nearly five decades, marking a significant milestone in the agency's ambitious Artemis program. The quartet will embark on an epic journey aboard NASA's Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket in November 2024.
Leading the team is Reid Wiseman, a seasoned naval aviator and test pilot who has completed one previous spaceflight. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Wiseman, 47, was first selected as a NASA astronaut in 2009 and has since held various leadership roles within the agency. He will serve as commander of the Artemis II mission.
Also part of the crew is Victor Glover, a 46-year-old naval aviator who returned to Earth after spending nearly six months aboard the International Space Station on his first spaceflight. A native of California, Glover has extensive experience in test pilot training and has logged over 3,000 flight hours in more than 40 aircraft.
Christina Koch, 44, is a veteran astronaut with six spacewalks under her belt. She holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, having spent 328 days in space. An electrical engineer by training, Koch has also developed scientific instruments for multiple NASA missions and has completed an arduous year-long stay at the South Pole.
Completing the team is Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency, who will become the first Canadian to travel to deep space. A fighter pilot with a background in test pilot training, Hansen was selected by the Canadian agency for astronaut training in 2009 and has since been involved in various leadership roles within the organization.
The Artemis II mission will build on NASA's uncrewed test flight, Artemis I, which successfully sent the Orion spacecraft on a 1.4 million-mile voyage around the moon. The crew will embark on a 10-day journey, potentially traveling farther than any human has ever gone before, before returning to Earth for a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean.
The selection of this diverse team is a significant milestone for NASA's Artemis program, which aims to establish a permanent lunar outpost and pave the way for sending humans to Mars. The agency has emphasized the importance of diversity within its astronaut corps, with this mission marking a significant departure from the predominantly male test pilot backgrounds that have defined previous historic missions.
In an interview with CNN, Koch described being selected as "speechless" and expressed her gratitude at being part of the team. When asked about the significance of the mission, she said, "It's not just about me or any one person – it's about being a part of this incredible team that's going back to the moon and on to Mars."
Leading the team is Reid Wiseman, a seasoned naval aviator and test pilot who has completed one previous spaceflight. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Wiseman, 47, was first selected as a NASA astronaut in 2009 and has since held various leadership roles within the agency. He will serve as commander of the Artemis II mission.
Also part of the crew is Victor Glover, a 46-year-old naval aviator who returned to Earth after spending nearly six months aboard the International Space Station on his first spaceflight. A native of California, Glover has extensive experience in test pilot training and has logged over 3,000 flight hours in more than 40 aircraft.
Christina Koch, 44, is a veteran astronaut with six spacewalks under her belt. She holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, having spent 328 days in space. An electrical engineer by training, Koch has also developed scientific instruments for multiple NASA missions and has completed an arduous year-long stay at the South Pole.
Completing the team is Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency, who will become the first Canadian to travel to deep space. A fighter pilot with a background in test pilot training, Hansen was selected by the Canadian agency for astronaut training in 2009 and has since been involved in various leadership roles within the organization.
The Artemis II mission will build on NASA's uncrewed test flight, Artemis I, which successfully sent the Orion spacecraft on a 1.4 million-mile voyage around the moon. The crew will embark on a 10-day journey, potentially traveling farther than any human has ever gone before, before returning to Earth for a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean.
The selection of this diverse team is a significant milestone for NASA's Artemis program, which aims to establish a permanent lunar outpost and pave the way for sending humans to Mars. The agency has emphasized the importance of diversity within its astronaut corps, with this mission marking a significant departure from the predominantly male test pilot backgrounds that have defined previous historic missions.
In an interview with CNN, Koch described being selected as "speechless" and expressed her gratitude at being part of the team. When asked about the significance of the mission, she said, "It's not just about me or any one person – it's about being a part of this incredible team that's going back to the moon and on to Mars."
they finally got it right with this crew 
. diversity is key in space exploration, can't have all test pilots, gotta have scientists too 
. Koch's experience speaks for itself, 328 days in space? that's crazy 
. Hansen's a great addition too, first Canadian to deep space, canada should be proud 
. no more "we're just testing the technology" mentality, it's time to get to mars 
. I mean, 328 days in space? That's crazy talk! And Jeremy Hansen becoming the first Canadian in deep space? That's just awesome 
. But what really gets me excited is that diversity is finally being taken seriously at NASA - it's time we had more women and people of color leading the charge 
. November 2024 can't come soon enough!
, women like Christina Koch holding record for longest single spaceflight, that's amazing 
This team is literally out of this world 
. Artemis II mission is gonna be epic! 
I'm literally freaking out right now! The fact that we're finally getting back to the moon 
I mean, who wouldn't want to be part of a team that's paving the way for humanity's next giant leap? 
