Astronauts for First Crewed Moon Mission in Decades Announced
For the first time in nearly five decades, NASA has named its crew for a mission that will send humans back to the moon. The four astronauts who have been selected are Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen.
The crew will embark on an Artemis II lunar flyby, which is expected to take off around November 2024. The journey will last about 10 days, during which time they will travel beyond the moon and potentially further than any human has traveled in history. After completing their mission, the crew will return to Earth for a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean.
The astronauts were selected from a pool of highly qualified candidates after undergoing rigorous testing and evaluation. Wiseman, 47, is a decorated naval aviator and test pilot who was first selected as an astronaut in 2009. He served as chief of the astronaut office before stepping down in November 2022.
Glover, 46, is a naval aviator who returned to Earth from his first spaceflight in 2021 after piloting the second crewed flight of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft. Koch, 44, is a veteran of six spacewalks and holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman.
Hansen, 47, is a fighter pilot who was selected as an astronaut by the Canadian Space Agency in 2009. He will be the first Canadian to travel to deep space.
The Artemis II mission is expected to pave the way for future lunar missions, including the Artemis III mission that aims to put the first woman and person of color on the moon's surface. The crew members were selected from a diverse pool of candidates, with NASA emphasizing the importance of diversity in its selection process.
"It truly is an honor," said Koch, who was offered the spot after being accidentally late to a meeting. "It's not just about me getting into space, but being part of this team that's going back to the moon and on to Mars."
The four astronauts will appear on CNN's "This Morning" in an interview that will air next week. The Artemis II mission marks the first crewed lunar flyby since the Apollo program ended in 1972.
For the first time in nearly five decades, NASA has named its crew for a mission that will send humans back to the moon. The four astronauts who have been selected are Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen.
The crew will embark on an Artemis II lunar flyby, which is expected to take off around November 2024. The journey will last about 10 days, during which time they will travel beyond the moon and potentially further than any human has traveled in history. After completing their mission, the crew will return to Earth for a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean.
The astronauts were selected from a pool of highly qualified candidates after undergoing rigorous testing and evaluation. Wiseman, 47, is a decorated naval aviator and test pilot who was first selected as an astronaut in 2009. He served as chief of the astronaut office before stepping down in November 2022.
Glover, 46, is a naval aviator who returned to Earth from his first spaceflight in 2021 after piloting the second crewed flight of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft. Koch, 44, is a veteran of six spacewalks and holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman.
Hansen, 47, is a fighter pilot who was selected as an astronaut by the Canadian Space Agency in 2009. He will be the first Canadian to travel to deep space.
The Artemis II mission is expected to pave the way for future lunar missions, including the Artemis III mission that aims to put the first woman and person of color on the moon's surface. The crew members were selected from a diverse pool of candidates, with NASA emphasizing the importance of diversity in its selection process.
"It truly is an honor," said Koch, who was offered the spot after being accidentally late to a meeting. "It's not just about me getting into space, but being part of this team that's going back to the moon and on to Mars."
The four astronauts will appear on CNN's "This Morning" in an interview that will air next week. The Artemis II mission marks the first crewed lunar flyby since the Apollo program ended in 1972.
! I mean, can you even imagine being one of the four people who get to set foot on the moon again? It's like, we're talking history here, fam 
. And the fact that it's diverse crew is just, like, totally awesome 
. Christina Koch holding her own with six spacewalks? Victor Glover flying SpaceX's Crew Dragon? Reid Wiseman and Jeremy Hansen being Canadian space legends 
... it's just too cool for words. I mean, they're not just astronauts, they're trailblazers! And the Artemis III mission is all about paving the way for future lunar missions and even Mars 
... it's like, we're on the cusp of something big here! November 2024 can't come soon enough 
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. Jeremy Hansen being the first Canadian to go to deep space is a huge deal too! 
. I mean, it's not like we haven't been there before and come back just fine. It's just a bunch of old people in a spaceship again 
. Reid Wiseman is like 47 years old, can you imagine what he'll be saying when he's rocking chair-bound? "Remember when I flew to the moon?" 
And don't even get me started on Christina Koch and her spacewalks - who cares about that? It's just a bunch of tech specs and NASA jargon. The real issue is, have they thought through the logistics of actually living on the moon for an extended period? Like, what are we gonna do when the toilets start clogging up again 
?
. I mean, can you imagine being part of a team that's actually going to set foot on Mars? 
The diversity of the crew is also super cool - it's great that they're making sure the next generation of astronauts comes from all walks of life 
. And, let's be real, Christina Koch is just a total rockstar for being part of this mission after breaking so many records in space 
. It's not like NASA did anything wrong by taking four strong and capable individuals to lead the Artemis II mission 
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astronaut Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover & Christina Koch are about to make history 
like Pong and Space Invaders. You know, those simple yet addictive ones that you could play on an arcade machine for hours on end? Anyway, back to the moon mission... I wonder if they'll have any retro-themed spacesuits 
or maybe even a few nostalgic space-rock playlists to get them pumped up before launch 
. It's all about teamwork and diversity, and how having different perspectives can lead to great things. I mean, imagine if NASA had only selected astronauts from the same background? We wouldn't be on the cusp of sending people back to the moon, right?