Four astronauts selected for first crewed moon mission in nearly five decades. The quartet, consisting of Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen, will embark on the historic Artemis II lunar flyby scheduled to launch around November 2024.
The commander of the mission is Reid Wiseman, a decorated naval aviator and test pilot from Baltimore, Maryland. Wiseman previously completed a six-month stay at the International Space Station in 2014. He served as chief of the astronaut office before stepping down in November 2022. Wiseman's expertise will be invaluable in guiding his crew through the mission.
Jeremy Hansen, also 47, is a fighter pilot from London, Ontario, and one of only four active Canadian astronauts. This historic mission marks his first time traveling to deep space, a milestone that demonstrates Canada's commitment to space exploration.
Victor Glover, a seasoned naval aviator, piloted the second crewed flight of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft in 2021. He spent nearly six months at the International Space Station during this trip and returned to Earth after piloting the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
Christina Koch is a veteran of six spacewalks, including the first all-female spacewalk in 2019. She holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, with a total of 328 days in space. The NASA engineer helped develop scientific instruments for multiple missions and spent a year at the South Pole, an arduous stay that prepared her for the intensity of a moon mission.
The four astronauts are part of a diverse group, marking a significant shift from previous space missions dominated by male test pilots. The Artemis II crew includes men and women who will be part of a historic journey to the moon and beyond.
In preparation for this mission, the quartet is undergoing training, with each astronaut bringing their unique expertise to the table. An interview with the four astronauts will air on "CNN This Morning" next Tuesday, starting at 6 am ET.
The Artemis II mission is expected to last around 10 days, sending the crew beyond the moon and potentially further than any human has traveled in history. The spacecraft will then return to Earth for a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean.
While NASA's Orion capsule successfully completed an uncrewed test mission in December, the agency deemed it a success and is now working to review all the data collected. Artemis II serves as a stepping stone for future missions, including the Artemis III, which aims to put the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface.
However, delays are expected due to the development of necessary technologies, such as spacesuits for walking on the moon and a lunar lander to ferry astronauts to the moon's surface. NASA targets a 2025 launch date for Artemis III, but some experts predict that the mission may be pushed back to 2026 or later.
The Artemis program aims to establish a permanent lunar outpost, allowing astronauts to live and work deeper into space long-term as NASA maps a path to sending humans to Mars. This historic mission marks an essential step toward realizing this vision, with the four selected astronauts at its core.
The diversity of the Artemis II crew reflects a significant shift in the way space agencies approach astronaut selection. Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA's Johnson Space Center, emphasized that the group has "the right stuff," citing requirements different from those used for initial missions that relied heavily on test pilots.
Christina Koch, when asked about her experience being selected, remained speechless, saying it was an honor to be part of a team returning to the moon and heading towards Mars.
The commander of the mission is Reid Wiseman, a decorated naval aviator and test pilot from Baltimore, Maryland. Wiseman previously completed a six-month stay at the International Space Station in 2014. He served as chief of the astronaut office before stepping down in November 2022. Wiseman's expertise will be invaluable in guiding his crew through the mission.
Jeremy Hansen, also 47, is a fighter pilot from London, Ontario, and one of only four active Canadian astronauts. This historic mission marks his first time traveling to deep space, a milestone that demonstrates Canada's commitment to space exploration.
Victor Glover, a seasoned naval aviator, piloted the second crewed flight of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft in 2021. He spent nearly six months at the International Space Station during this trip and returned to Earth after piloting the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
Christina Koch is a veteran of six spacewalks, including the first all-female spacewalk in 2019. She holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, with a total of 328 days in space. The NASA engineer helped develop scientific instruments for multiple missions and spent a year at the South Pole, an arduous stay that prepared her for the intensity of a moon mission.
The four astronauts are part of a diverse group, marking a significant shift from previous space missions dominated by male test pilots. The Artemis II crew includes men and women who will be part of a historic journey to the moon and beyond.
In preparation for this mission, the quartet is undergoing training, with each astronaut bringing their unique expertise to the table. An interview with the four astronauts will air on "CNN This Morning" next Tuesday, starting at 6 am ET.
The Artemis II mission is expected to last around 10 days, sending the crew beyond the moon and potentially further than any human has traveled in history. The spacecraft will then return to Earth for a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean.
While NASA's Orion capsule successfully completed an uncrewed test mission in December, the agency deemed it a success and is now working to review all the data collected. Artemis II serves as a stepping stone for future missions, including the Artemis III, which aims to put the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface.
However, delays are expected due to the development of necessary technologies, such as spacesuits for walking on the moon and a lunar lander to ferry astronauts to the moon's surface. NASA targets a 2025 launch date for Artemis III, but some experts predict that the mission may be pushed back to 2026 or later.
The Artemis program aims to establish a permanent lunar outpost, allowing astronauts to live and work deeper into space long-term as NASA maps a path to sending humans to Mars. This historic mission marks an essential step toward realizing this vision, with the four selected astronauts at its core.
The diversity of the Artemis II crew reflects a significant shift in the way space agencies approach astronaut selection. Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA's Johnson Space Center, emphasized that the group has "the right stuff," citing requirements different from those used for initial missions that relied heavily on test pilots.
Christina Koch, when asked about her experience being selected, remained speechless, saying it was an honor to be part of a team returning to the moon and heading towards Mars.
So they're finally gonna make it back to the moon after all those years... 
I mean, I'm glad we got some new faces up there, but you can't help but wonder what's really going on here... are we just testing out a new spacecraft or is this some kinda rehearsal for when we actually need to take over the world? 
Just kidding (or am I?)... seriously though, it's cool to see Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen making history as Canadians in space. Maybe they'll even help us figure out what's going on with those delays... 
2025 launch date for Artemis III? That's still a looong way off, but hey, at least we know NASA's not messing around... yet. 
! Can't believe we're finally gonna see humans go back to the moon in like 5 years 
! This new crew is everything - super diverse, talented, and from all over the world 
. Christina Koch's record for longest spaceflight by a woman is still mind-blowing 
. The fact that we're moving closer to establishing a permanent lunar outpost and sending humans to Mars in the future is just...wow 
! We've gotta keep pushing the boundaries of space exploration 
, but Christina's experience being part of all-female spacewalks and record-breaking long-duration missions is invaluable. It's like we're finally starting to see some serious changes in the space program 
. Jeremy Hansen's Canadian involvement is also dope (get it? dope? haha). The whole team is coming together to make this Artemis II mission happen, and I'm hyped for what they'll achieve! 
. I mean, 10 days in space is one thing, but what about the actual landing? We've seen so many delays and setbacks already... like that Orion capsule test mission in December was supposed to be a success, yet it still didn't quite fly right 
. And don't even get me started on those spacesuits 
- how are they going to work properly on the moon's surface? Not to mention the lunar lander... I'm not holding my breath until 2026 at the earliest 
Christina Koch holding that record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman is amazing, and Jeremy Hansen being one of four active Canadian astronauts is just cool. Canada's got some awesome space explorers! 
The diversity of this crew is awesome, and it feels like we're moving closer to having women and people from different backgrounds on these missions. Can't wait to see the results of their training and how they do on this historic mission! 
we're gonna have some actual women in space now. Christina Koch's 328 days in space is crazy btw, i mean who needs sleep when you can spend that much time on a spaceship? 
jeremy hansen is also super cool that canada sent an astronaut to deep space 
Meanwhile, the Artemis II crew is gonna embark on this epic lunar flyby in Nov 2024 
Here are some interesting facts:
, and the Artemis II crew is getting ready for their historic journey! With 10 days of travel ahead of them, this mission could take us beyond the moon & push the boundaries of human space exploration 
. Reid Wiseman's got some serious cred, but Jeremy Hansen is like the Canadian equivalent of a rookie 
. Christina Koch's been around space for ages and has those crazy spacewalk skills 
! I'm beyond excited to see the Artemis II crew set off on this historic mission in 2024 
.
. It's a reminder that we're all in this together, as a global community, working towards a common goal: to explore and understand our universe 
I'm literally so stoked about this news!!! Four awesome astronauts are gonna travel to the MOON!!! Reid Wiseman is like a total rockstar as the commander and Jeremy Hansen's Canadian pride is giving me all the feels 
The fact that we're finally getting back to the moon is super exciting! And I love how diverse the crew for Artemis II is - having women like Christina Koch who've been through so much already, it's awesome that they're leading the way. Jeremy Hansen being Canadian too, gives me hope that space exploration isn't just a US thing 
I also don't buy all this hype about how diverse the crew is 
. I mean, sure, it's cool that there are more women and people of color on board, but what about the actual challenges we'll face in space? That's what I want to see them focusing on