Astronauts Chosen for First Crewed Moon Mission in Decades Will Embark on Historic Artemis II Journey
For the first time in over five decades, NASA is sending humans back to the moon. The agency has selected four astronauts - Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen - who will helm the historic Artemis II lunar flyby mission. This monumental endeavor is set to take off around November 2024, marking a major milestone in the Artemis program.
The diverse crew includes Wiseman, a decorated naval aviator and test pilot, who was selected by NASA in 2009. He has previously flown on a Russian Soyuz rocket and served as chief of the astronaut office before being reassigned to a flight assignment.
Glover, another veteran astronaut, is a skilled naval aviator with over 3,000 hours of flight experience. He has spent nearly six months aboard the International Space Station as part of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft mission in 2021.
Koch, a veteran engineer and electrical systems specialist, holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman with a total of 328 days in space. She also completed an arduous year-long stay at the South Pole, which could have prepared her for the intensity of a moon mission.
Hansen, a fighter pilot from Canada, is one of only four active Canadian astronauts. He will be the first Canadian to travel to deep space and has recently become the first Canadian to lead training for a new class of NASA astronauts.
The Artemis II crew will embark on a 10-day journey beyond the moon, potentially traveling further than any human has before. The spacecraft will launch atop NASA's Space Launch System rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, returning to Earth for a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean.
The historic mission is expected to pave the way for the Artemis III mission later this decade, which aims to put the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface. The crew will also mark the first time humans have touched down on the moon since the Apollo program ended in 1972.
While details about the selection process remain scarce, NASA Director Vanessa Wyche has emphasized the diversity of the Artemis II crew, which includes men and women from various backgrounds.
The four astronauts will be featured on CNN's "This Morning" on Tuesday at 6 am ET in an exclusive interview.
For the first time in over five decades, NASA is sending humans back to the moon. The agency has selected four astronauts - Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen - who will helm the historic Artemis II lunar flyby mission. This monumental endeavor is set to take off around November 2024, marking a major milestone in the Artemis program.
The diverse crew includes Wiseman, a decorated naval aviator and test pilot, who was selected by NASA in 2009. He has previously flown on a Russian Soyuz rocket and served as chief of the astronaut office before being reassigned to a flight assignment.
Glover, another veteran astronaut, is a skilled naval aviator with over 3,000 hours of flight experience. He has spent nearly six months aboard the International Space Station as part of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft mission in 2021.
Koch, a veteran engineer and electrical systems specialist, holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman with a total of 328 days in space. She also completed an arduous year-long stay at the South Pole, which could have prepared her for the intensity of a moon mission.
Hansen, a fighter pilot from Canada, is one of only four active Canadian astronauts. He will be the first Canadian to travel to deep space and has recently become the first Canadian to lead training for a new class of NASA astronauts.
The Artemis II crew will embark on a 10-day journey beyond the moon, potentially traveling further than any human has before. The spacecraft will launch atop NASA's Space Launch System rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, returning to Earth for a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean.
The historic mission is expected to pave the way for the Artemis III mission later this decade, which aims to put the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface. The crew will also mark the first time humans have touched down on the moon since the Apollo program ended in 1972.
While details about the selection process remain scarce, NASA Director Vanessa Wyche has emphasized the diversity of the Artemis II crew, which includes men and women from various backgrounds.
The four astronauts will be featured on CNN's "This Morning" on Tuesday at 6 am ET in an exclusive interview.
but now that it's actually happening, I'm a bit surprised. I mean don't get me wrong, these astronauts are amazing and all, but the whole thing just feels like we're revisiting history rather than making new ground. Like, we've been to the moon before in 1972, how much is really changing this time around? 
it's amazing to see this diverse crew coming together for this historic mission. I'm also loving that they're paving the way for future missions, including one that'll put a woman and person of color on the lunar surface - can you imagine?! 
. I think it's awesome that NASA is sending humans back to the moon after so long. The fact that they've chosen a diverse crew really makes sense, it's all about preparing for the unknown and being ready for anything 
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I'm so excited for these brave astronauts! They're about to embark on an incredible journey that'll take them farther than anyone has before 
. I'm also loving the diversity of the crew - it's amazing to see so many talented individuals from different backgrounds coming together for this mission 
. I hope they're all feeling prepared and ready for this adventure 
. Sending them all my best vibes and positive energy 
? and a canadian fighter pilot? that's like a real-life video game character 
. anyway, can't wait to see them embark on this historic journey and maybe even get some decent selfies on the moon 
also, why did it take so long to assemble a diverse crew? I mean, we're celebrating diversity here but when are we gonna see more women and people of color in STEM fields? 
. I mean, Reid Wiseman's got some serious experience under his belt, and Christina Koch's spaceflight record is insane 
They're already talking about paving the way for more missions and making history, but what if this one goes awry? What if it's just another failed experiment? And don't even get me started on the training they've been doing... I'm sure there are plenty of ways to prepare for a 10-day journey that could go horribly wrong. 
can't believe we're finally going back to the moon! 
Christina Koch is already a space legend with her record-breaking spaceflight, but now she'll get to experience something even more historic. 
Jeremy Hansen being the first Canadian in deep space? That's amazing! 
reid's got experience flyin on a russian rocket, victor's got over 3000 hours of flight exp, christina's holdin the record for longest single spaceflight by a woman, and jeremy's gonna be the first canadian in deep space 
. Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen are all awesome in their own ways - from naval aviators to space station dwellers 
. The crew selected for Artemis II is straight fire - they've got the skills, experience, and diversity to make this mission a huge success 
i mean, don't get me wrong, the astronauts do seem pretty talented and all, but can we really trust them to handle something this massive? 
And don't even get me started on Jeremy Hansen's lack of actual flight experience... I mean, he's a fighter pilot and all, but has he ever flown in zero-G? 
this crew is literally the coolest - Reid Wiseman has flown on a russian rocket, Victor Glover has spent 6 months in space on a private company's ship... Christina Koch holds the record for longest single spaceflight by a woman 
A new low or something? 
It's also kinda weird that we're still trying to figure out what to do with the moon after all these years. Can't we just leave it be? 
I mean, NASA is saying this mission will pave the way for a woman and person of color on the lunar surface, but let's not get too excited here... we've still got work to do before that happens. 
, especially with the diversity and experience they bring to the table 
, and Jeremy Hansen's Canadian pride and deep space training make him a rockstar astronaut 
. The Artemis II mission is going to be epic, marking the first time humans have visited the moon since 1972