NASA has selected four astronauts, including the first Canadian to venture into deep space, for its historic Artemis II mission. The crew will launch atop a NASA-developed Space Launch System rocket in November 2024 and embark on a 10-day journey beyond the moon.
Commanding the Artemis II mission is Reid Wiseman, a decorated naval aviator and test pilot who holds a record for the longest single spaceflight by an American astronaut. Wiseman's experience as chief of the astronaut office before stepping down in November 2022 made him eligible for this flight assignment.
Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen will be making history as he becomes the first Canadian to travel to deep space. Hansen, a fighter pilot, was selected for astronaut training in 2009 and recently became the first Canadian to lead training for a new class of NASA astronauts.
Rounding out the crew are Victor Glover and Christina Koch. Glover, a naval aviator who spent nearly six months aboard the International Space Station, piloted the second crewed flight of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft. Koch, an electrical engineer who has completed six spacewalks including the first all-female spacewalk in 2019, holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman.
The Artemis II mission will 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. NASA has been seeking to return people to the moon for more than a decade as part of its long-term plan to establish a permanent lunar outpost, allowing astronauts to live and work deeper into space.
The selection process for the crew was shrouded in secrecy, with only Vanessa Wyche, the director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, offering hints about the diversity of the Artemis II crew. However, all four selected astronauts have been speaking highly of their inclusion in this historic mission, with Christina Koch calling it an "honor" and Victor Glover describing it as a "next step in human history."
Commanding the Artemis II mission is Reid Wiseman, a decorated naval aviator and test pilot who holds a record for the longest single spaceflight by an American astronaut. Wiseman's experience as chief of the astronaut office before stepping down in November 2022 made him eligible for this flight assignment.
Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen will be making history as he becomes the first Canadian to travel to deep space. Hansen, a fighter pilot, was selected for astronaut training in 2009 and recently became the first Canadian to lead training for a new class of NASA astronauts.
Rounding out the crew are Victor Glover and Christina Koch. Glover, a naval aviator who spent nearly six months aboard the International Space Station, piloted the second crewed flight of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft. Koch, an electrical engineer who has completed six spacewalks including the first all-female spacewalk in 2019, holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman.
The Artemis II mission will 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. NASA has been seeking to return people to the moon for more than a decade as part of its long-term plan to establish a permanent lunar outpost, allowing astronauts to live and work deeper into space.
The selection process for the crew was shrouded in secrecy, with only Vanessa Wyche, the director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, offering hints about the diversity of the Artemis II crew. However, all four selected astronauts have been speaking highly of their inclusion in this historic mission, with Christina Koch calling it an "honor" and Victor Glover describing it as a "next step in human history."
can you even imagine being part of a crew that's about to take humanity to the lunar surface?! 
I'm hyped for Jeremy Hansen becoming the first Canadian to venture into deep space, he's literally making history right before our eyes! 
And with Reid Wiseman at the helm, I know they're gonna make this mission one for the books. But what I'd really love to see is more women and diverse voices in these space missions, like Christina Koch, she's a total rockstar! 
and Victor Glover's experience on SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft is so cool. Fingers crossed NASA can get this Artemis III mission done soon and we'll have more humans exploring the lunar surface! 
. Reid Wiseman is all cool and stuff, been around the block a few times as an astronaut 
. And Jeremy Hansen, nice job being the first canadian in deep space 
. Plus, Christina Koch and Victor Glover are literally like real-life superheroes with their spacewalk records 
.
. which, idk, is it really worth all the hype? like, we're still struggling with some pretty basic problems on earth and then we wanna send people to the moon? 
. hopefully they make this mission a success and pave the way for something amazing 
Can you believe we're gonna see the first Canadian in deep space? Jeremy Hansen is like a total rockstar! 
And think about how diverse the crew is - Reid Wiseman's got the longest single spaceflight record, Christina Koch's smashed that all-female spacewalk barrier, Victor Glover's piloted Crew Dragon, and Jeremy Hansen's leading NASA training sessions. This Artemis II mission is all about pushing boundaries & making history! 
and Christina Koch's record for longest single spaceflight by a woman is insane 
Victor Glover piloted the crew dragon spacecraft like 6 months ago lol what's next? 
i'm also super excited to see what's next for this mission, putting people on the lunar surface would be such an accomplishment 
u can feel the excitement and gratitude from those astronauts about being part of this mission Christina Koch's "honor" and Victor Glover's "next step in human history" 
are giving me chills also i love that nasa is trying to make this mission super diverse with a woman and person of color on lunar surface 
its like we're one step closer to having a lunar village or something 
! Christina Koch is like a total rockstar with six spacewalks under her belt 
, and now she gets to be part of this historic mission too 
The selection of these four amazing astronauts for the Artemis II mission is a huge deal! Not only are they all super talented individuals, but they also bring a diverse range of experiences and backgrounds to the table 
.
! 10 days in space, whoa... i wish i could join them on this epic journey 
. And now that I finally stumbled upon this news, I gotta say...who cares about the Space Launch System rocket? It's not like it's gonna affect our daily lives or anything 
. But seriously, have you seen the training process for these astronauts? It's insane! 10 days in deep space? No thanks, give me a quiet night at home with a cuppa tea any day 
. And what's up with all the drama about being the first Canadian/ American/ woman/ person of color to do this or that? Can't they just stick to the science for once? 
this is so cool! i'm literally beaming with excitement for Jeremy Hansen making history as the 1st canadian in deep space!