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.