Astronauts Chosen for First Crewed Moon Mission in 50 Years: What You Need to Know
NASA has selected four astronauts - Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen - to crew the first crewed moon mission in nearly five decades. The Artemis II lunar flyby is set to take off in November 2024.
The crew consists of a diverse group of individuals with various backgrounds and expertise. Wiseman, 47, is a decorated naval aviator and test pilot who has previously flown on the International Space Station. Glover, 46, is also a naval aviator and piloted the second crewed flight of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft. Koch, 44, holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman with 328 days in space, and is an electrical engineer who helped develop scientific instruments for multiple NASA missions.
Hansen, 47, from Canada, will be the first Canadian to travel to deep space. He has completed astronaut training and was part of the initial class of NASA astronauts selected in 2009. The crew's selection marks a significant step towards establishing a permanent lunar outpost, with the ultimate goal of sending humans to Mars.
The Artemis II mission will send the crew on a 10-day journey out of Earth's orbit, potentially farther than any human has traveled before. They will launch atop NASA's Space Launch System rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida and return for a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean.
While the mission is still in development, it will pave the way for Artemis III, which aims to put the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface. However, delays are expected to push the launch date to 2026 or later.
The crew's selection has been praised by NASA officials for its diversity, with a focus on selecting individuals who can contribute to a diverse team working towards a common goal. The astronauts will be interviewed on "CNN This Morning" next week, providing an opportunity for the public to learn more about their experiences and preparations for the historic mission.
NASA has selected four astronauts - Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen - to crew the first crewed moon mission in nearly five decades. The Artemis II lunar flyby is set to take off in November 2024.
The crew consists of a diverse group of individuals with various backgrounds and expertise. Wiseman, 47, is a decorated naval aviator and test pilot who has previously flown on the International Space Station. Glover, 46, is also a naval aviator and piloted the second crewed flight of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft. Koch, 44, holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman with 328 days in space, and is an electrical engineer who helped develop scientific instruments for multiple NASA missions.
Hansen, 47, from Canada, will be the first Canadian to travel to deep space. He has completed astronaut training and was part of the initial class of NASA astronauts selected in 2009. The crew's selection marks a significant step towards establishing a permanent lunar outpost, with the ultimate goal of sending humans to Mars.
The Artemis II mission will send the crew on a 10-day journey out of Earth's orbit, potentially farther than any human has traveled before. They will launch atop NASA's Space Launch System rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida and return for a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean.
While the mission is still in development, it will pave the way for Artemis III, which aims to put the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface. However, delays are expected to push the launch date to 2026 or later.
The crew's selection has been praised by NASA officials for its diversity, with a focus on selecting individuals who can contribute to a diverse team working towards a common goal. The astronauts will be interviewed on "CNN This Morning" next week, providing an opportunity for the public to learn more about their experiences and preparations for the historic mission.
! I mean, four whole astronauts, that's awesome! But let me correct you, Reid Wiseman isn't a naval aviator by trade, he was actually a test pilot in the Navy 
. And Christina Koch's record-breaking spaceflight was on the ISS, not just any old space mission. Also, Jeremy Hansen is definitely Canadian, but it says here they're from Canada, which I guess means they can still be considered Canadian astronaut-adjacent 
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. Anyway, can't wait to see what they have planned for this mission!
50 years is a long time but i guess its better late than never 
reid wiseman and christina koch are total legends, cant wait to see what other cool things they bring back from space 
and jermey hansen is gonna be the first canadian in deep space 
that's so awesome! hope its not too delayed tho, i wanna see this happen ASAP 
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. It'll be awesome to see these astronauts share their experiences with us next week on CNN - I'm definitely tuning in! 
. Can't they just pick one topic to focus on instead of jumping between all these different missions? Like, is this Artemis II thing going to be a huge deal or what?! 
And why do we need 4 astronauts for a moon mission anyway? I mean, I get that NASA wants to show diversity and all that, but can't they just pick someone who's actually been to space before?! 
This whole thing is just so... spaced out (get it?) 
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. Anyway, I guess this is a big deal and all, but who knows if we'll ever actually make it out of Earth's orbit without getting lost in space or something 
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. Mark my words, we'll see more delays than a Kardashian wedding planner.
. And Jeremy Hansen is going to be the first Canadian in deep space, hooray for Canada! 
. Can't wait for the interviews next week and learning more about their journey to the moon! 
. The fact that they've chosen four astronauts from such different backgrounds - Reid Wiseman's military background, Victor Glover's experience with SpaceX, Christina Koch's record-breaking spaceflight, and Jeremy Hansen's Canadian roots 
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I'm loving the diverse squad they've picked - reid, victor, christina, and jeremy are all super talented in their own ways. 328 days in space by christina koch alone? mind blown 
as for the artemis ii mission, i'm just hoping they don't delay it too much 
fingers crossed for a successful launch and a historic landing! 
The fact that they're paving the way for a permanent lunar outpost and even a trip to Mars is just incredible. I'm keeping an eye on this mission's progress, can't wait to see how it all unfolds! 
It's mind-blowing! And the fact that they've got such an awesome diverse team is, like, totally awesome. I mean, we need more people from all walks of life working together towards something amazing 
The fact that they're setting up a permanent lunar outpost and planning to send humans to Mars? It's like, the ultimate goal right now! 
just thinkin' about these four ppl goin' to the moon in 50 yrs is mind blowin 