NASA Unveils its First Crewed Moon Mission in Decades, Picking Four Astronauts for Historic Journey
The wait is finally over as NASA has revealed the four astronauts who will helm the agency's first crewed moon mission in five decades. The quartet includes Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, who will embark on a historic journey aboard the Orion spacecraft in November 2024.
Wiseman, a 47-year-old naval aviator and test pilot, is set to command the Artemis II mission. He has previously flown on a six-month mission to the International Space Station and served as chief of the astronaut office before stepping down in November 2022. Hansen, also 47 years old, is a fighter pilot from London, Ontario, who will become the first Canadian to travel to deep space.
Glover, a 46-year-old naval aviator, is a seasoned veteran of space travel, having piloted the second crewed flight of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft in 2021. Koch, a 44-year-old electrical engineer, is a six-time spacewalker and holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, with over 328 days in space.
The mission will take off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida atop a NASA-developed Space Launch System rocket and is expected to last about 10 days. The crew will embark on an unprecedented journey beyond the moon, potentially traveling further than any human has ever gone before.
While much of the technology required for the Artemis III mission, which aims to put the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface, is still in development, NASA's director at the Johnson Space Center emphasized the diversity of the Artemis II crew. "We have requirements different than we did when we just had test pilots," she said.
The four astronauts were revealed in a surprise announcement Monday, with Koch revealing to CNN that the group found out they were selected just weeks ago during a meeting under false pretenses. "It's an honor – not just to be part of this team but because it's amazing to be part of this team that's going back to the moon and on to Mars," she said.
The mission marks a significant step forward for NASA, which has been seeking to return people to the moon for over a decade. The Artemis program aims to establish a permanent lunar outpost, paving the way for astronauts to live and work deeper into space long-term as NASA maps a path to sending humans to Mars.
The wait is finally over as NASA has revealed the four astronauts who will helm the agency's first crewed moon mission in five decades. The quartet includes Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, who will embark on a historic journey aboard the Orion spacecraft in November 2024.
Wiseman, a 47-year-old naval aviator and test pilot, is set to command the Artemis II mission. He has previously flown on a six-month mission to the International Space Station and served as chief of the astronaut office before stepping down in November 2022. Hansen, also 47 years old, is a fighter pilot from London, Ontario, who will become the first Canadian to travel to deep space.
Glover, a 46-year-old naval aviator, is a seasoned veteran of space travel, having piloted the second crewed flight of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft in 2021. Koch, a 44-year-old electrical engineer, is a six-time spacewalker and holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, with over 328 days in space.
The mission will take off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida atop a NASA-developed Space Launch System rocket and is expected to last about 10 days. The crew will embark on an unprecedented journey beyond the moon, potentially traveling further than any human has ever gone before.
While much of the technology required for the Artemis III mission, which aims to put the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface, is still in development, NASA's director at the Johnson Space Center emphasized the diversity of the Artemis II crew. "We have requirements different than we did when we just had test pilots," she said.
The four astronauts were revealed in a surprise announcement Monday, with Koch revealing to CNN that the group found out they were selected just weeks ago during a meeting under false pretenses. "It's an honor – not just to be part of this team but because it's amazing to be part of this team that's going back to the moon and on to Mars," she said.
The mission marks a significant step forward for NASA, which has been seeking to return people to the moon for over a decade. The Artemis program aims to establish a permanent lunar outpost, paving the way for astronauts to live and work deeper into space long-term as NASA maps a path to sending humans to Mars.
this is soooo cool! I'm hyped that we're finally gonna see people back on the moon again 
after all these years. The fact that there's a diverse crew, including Canadians and women, is amazing. Christina Koch being the longest single spaceflight holder is insane 
and Jeremy Hansen becoming the first Canadian in deep space is like, whoa 
. I'm really hoping they make it to Mars next 
. I also love that NASA is finally trying to get this whole lunar outpost thing going - it's about time we start thinking about long-term space habitation 
. November 2024 can't come soon enough for me 
they're gonna be back on our planet in like, 10 days? mind blown. can you imagine being part of that crew? Reid Wiseman as commander tho, he's got some serious experience under his belt 
also love how there's a canadian in the mix Jeremy Hansen, first dude to go to deep space from Canada 
. Jeremy Hansen being Canadian is cool, though 
. Can't wait to see them launch on Nov 2024!
. Four new astronauts to send to the moon in 2024? How's that going to fill the void left by the lack of space exploration for years? And what's with the "historic journey" nonsense, we've been hearing that for decades now.
. I love that they're choosing diversity for this team - it's all about representation and showing that space travel is accessible to everyone 
. And Jeremy Hansen becoming the first Canadian in deep space? That's awesome 
. Now we just gotta get this mission off the ground (literally!) and hope everything goes smoothly 
Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen - what an amazing team! 
I'm so proud of our space program for pushing boundaries and inspiring a new generation of scientists and explorers 
This mission is more than just a technical achievement, it's a testament to human determination and the desire to explore the unknown 
Can't wait to see what this journey brings 
, except instead of playing music in zero G, you're basically just floating around and pretending to be astronauts 
. But seriously, it's awesome that NASA is getting this done after all these years. I mean, we've been waiting for so long to go back to the moon and now it's finally happening! 
Plus, who wouldn't want to travel further than any human has ever gone before? It's like, the ultimate space road trip 
. I hope Jeremy Hansen gets to say some cool Canadian stuff on the mission, like "Sorry, eh?" 
victor glover seems like an awesome pilot too, cant wait 2 hear more about his experience