NASA has selected four astronauts to helm its first crewed mission to the moon in nearly five decades. Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen will embark on a historic journey as part of the Artemis II lunar flyby mission scheduled for November 2024.
Wiseman, a decorated naval aviator and test pilot from Baltimore, Maryland, will serve as commander of the mission. He previously completed one spaceflight to the International Space Station in 2014 and has extensive experience in high-G environments.
Glover, a 46-year-old naval aviator from California, holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by an American astronaut with over 200 days spent aboard the ISS. His experience includes piloting SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft and spending nearly six months on the orbiting laboratory.
Koch, a veteran engineer and astronaut from Michigan, is no stranger to space travel having spent over 328 days in space during her time at NASA. She holds the record for the longest single female spaceflight and has completed multiple spacewalks, including the first all-female spacewalk in 2019.
Hansen, a Canadian Space Agency astronaut from London, Ontario, will become the first Canadian to venture into deep space as part of the mission. He is an experienced fighter pilot with over 3,000 flight hours under his belt and recently took on training duties for NASA astronauts.
The Artemis II mission marks a significant milestone in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and establish a permanent lunar outpost. The crew will embark on a 10-day journey that will take them beyond the moon's orbit, with the exact distance yet to be determined.
Once back on Earth, they will conduct a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean, paving the way for future missions. The Artemis III mission is currently set for launch later this decade, with NASA aiming to put the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface.
The diversity of the crew, comprising men and women from different backgrounds, has been a focus point for NASA's director Vanessa Wyche. "We have requirements different than we did when we just had test pilots... They all have the right stuff," she said in an interview.
An exclusive interview with the four astronauts will air on CNN This Morning next week, giving viewers a glimpse into their experiences and what they hope to achieve during the mission.
Wiseman, a decorated naval aviator and test pilot from Baltimore, Maryland, will serve as commander of the mission. He previously completed one spaceflight to the International Space Station in 2014 and has extensive experience in high-G environments.
Glover, a 46-year-old naval aviator from California, holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by an American astronaut with over 200 days spent aboard the ISS. His experience includes piloting SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft and spending nearly six months on the orbiting laboratory.
Koch, a veteran engineer and astronaut from Michigan, is no stranger to space travel having spent over 328 days in space during her time at NASA. She holds the record for the longest single female spaceflight and has completed multiple spacewalks, including the first all-female spacewalk in 2019.
Hansen, a Canadian Space Agency astronaut from London, Ontario, will become the first Canadian to venture into deep space as part of the mission. He is an experienced fighter pilot with over 3,000 flight hours under his belt and recently took on training duties for NASA astronauts.
The Artemis II mission marks a significant milestone in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and establish a permanent lunar outpost. The crew will embark on a 10-day journey that will take them beyond the moon's orbit, with the exact distance yet to be determined.
Once back on Earth, they will conduct a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean, paving the way for future missions. The Artemis III mission is currently set for launch later this decade, with NASA aiming to put the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface.
The diversity of the crew, comprising men and women from different backgrounds, has been a focus point for NASA's director Vanessa Wyche. "We have requirements different than we did when we just had test pilots... They all have the right stuff," she said in an interview.
An exclusive interview with the four astronauts will air on CNN This Morning next week, giving viewers a glimpse into their experiences and what they hope to achieve during the mission.
. It's amazing that we're actually getting close to going back to the moon! Four astronauts from different backgrounds, it's awesome to see the diversity of the crew 
. Reid Wiseman being a naval aviator and test pilot makes sense for leading the mission, but I'm curious about Jeremy Hansen's experience as a fighter pilot 
. Christina Koch holding the record for the longest single female spaceflight is super inspiring! And Victor Glover with his SpaceX experience will definitely be interesting to watch 
. I love how NASA is focusing on making this mission more inclusive and representative of our diverse world 
. Can't wait to see what they'll achieve and what we can learn from this mission 
. The diversity of the crew is super cool too - it's awesome to see women and people from different backgrounds leading the way 
And to think that we'll get to see some amazing firsts happen, like the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface! 
The Artemis mission is not just about exploring space, it's also about pushing boundaries and inspiring future generations 
. 10 days is like nothing, i mean, how hard can it be right? 
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! i'm so hyped about this Artemis II mission - it's been ages since we've had humans on the lunar surface. these 4 astronauts are total rockstars, each with their own unique experiences and skills. can't wait to see them in action in 2024 
. and wow, having a diverse crew is really cool - like, women and people of color leading the charge? amazing 
. also, the fact that they'll be doing a lunar flyby before landing on the moon's surface is gonna be so cool to watch... fingers crossed for a smooth ride 
I mean, I'm all for progress and all, but can't we just stick to what we know and love here on Earth? 
And Christina's got some serious engineering cred under her belt! 
. The fact that Jeremy's the first Canadian in deep space is just mind-blowing 
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. These astronauts are truly the "right stuff" 
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OMG, can you believe we're finally gonna see humans back on the moon 
. This mission is gonna pave the way for future lunar outposts and who knows, maybe we'll even get our first woman and person of color on the moon soon? 
That's amazing, right? I'm just so excited for these four and their journey - it's like, we're all gonna get to see what they do next on CNN This Morning 
. I mean, who wouldn't want to watch a crew of awesome astronauts talk about their missions? 
It's gonna be epic! 
. And you know what's even more awesome? The fact that we're getting an all-female spacewalk in 2019 still counts as a thing and Chris Koch is breaking records left and right... girl power, baby! 
. It's great to see all these talented individuals work together to achieve this historic mission 
. I'm really looking forward to watching that CNN interview next week - gotta know what these guys are thinking!