Artemis II crew portrait. From left: NASA Astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Jeremy Hansen. (Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel)
It’s been more than 50 years since a human has flown to the Moon, but when NASA’s Artemis II mission blasts off in 2024, four lucky astronauts will get this once-in-a-lifetime experience. The four-member crew includes three men and one woman, as well as the first non-U.S. citizen to make the voyage.
It was announced on Monday that NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch will make the trip along with astronaut Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency. This will be Wiseman, Glover, and Koch’s second spaceflight. Wiseman, who is the Artemis II commander, previously spent more than 165 days in space, including almost 13 hours as lead spacewalker. He has also served as a flight engineer aboard the International Space Station.
Glover, who will serve as the Artemis II pilot, was the pilot on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1. He spent 168 days in space as part of the flight and also served as a flight engineer. Koch holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman with a total of 328 days in space and participated in the first all-female spacewalk.
While this is Hansen’s first spaceflight, the Canadian astronaut has an incredible skill set. This colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces and former fighter pilot holds degrees in space science and physics and was the first Canadian entrusted with leading a NASA astronaut class.
“I could not be prouder that these brave four will kickstart our journeys to the Moon and beyond,” said Director of Flight Operations Norm Knight, NASA Johnson. “They represent exactly what an astronaut corps should be: a mix of highly capable and accomplished individuals with the skills and determination to take on any trial as a team. The Artemis II mission will be challenging, and we’ll test our limits as we prepare to put future astronauts on the Moon. With Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy at the controls, I have no doubt we’re ready to face every challenge that comes our way.”
This second phase of Artemis comes after the successful launch of the Orion spaceship in November 2022. The crewless mission lasted 25.5 days before a successful splashdown off the coast of Mexico. Building on what was learned in this first phase, the astronauts will spend approximately 10 days on the flight test after launching on NASA’s powerful Space Launch System Rocket. During that time, they will prove the Orion spacecraft’s life-support systems, and validate the capabilities and techniques needed for humans to live and work in deep space.
While Artemis II won’t place the astronauts on the Moon, it’s putting us one step closer to doing so. The goal of Artemis III is to land on the Moon, but that won’t happen before 2025. Still, it’s an exciting moment in the history of the space program. Shortly after the crew announcement, the astronauts even received a call from President Biden, who expressed his pride in their accomplishments.
“The world just is—just holds their breath when things like this happen,” Biden said. “And I know you know it, but the work you’re doing is going to inspire countless people around our country and the world.”
NASA announced the four-person crew that will travel to the Moon in 2024 during the Artemis II mission.
Here they are. @SenBillNelson announces the #Artemis II crew, the next astronauts to fly around the Moon:@Astro_Christina@Astro_Jeremy@AstroVicGlover@Astro_Reid
We go together. https://t.co/XdUizg2Wye pic.twitter.com/6Yo4I2lKeJ
— NASA (@NASA) April 3, 2023
These skilled astronauts are the first humans to fly to the Moon in over 50 years.
Meet the first member of our #Artemis II Moon crew: mission specialist @Astro_Christina!
Christina Koch visited the @Space_Station in 2019, where she took part in the first all-woman spacewalk. She began her career as an electrical engineer at @NASAGoddard. pic.twitter.com/mi82SayXUm
— NASA (@NASA) April 3, 2023
Representing the @csa_asc on #Artemis II to the Moon is @Astro_Jeremy, from London, Ontario.
Jeremy Hansen was a fighter pilot before joining CSA, and currently works with NASA on astronaut training and mission operations. This will be Hansen’s first mission in space. pic.twitter.com/zIVetAQeFE
— NASA (@NASA) April 3, 2023
Our #Artemis II pilot is @AstroVicGlover!
Victor Glover is part of our 2013 class of @NASA_Astronauts and was the pilot for NASA’s @SpaceX Crew-1 mission. He’s logged 3,000 flight hours in more than 40 different aircraft, and will pilot @NASA_Orion around the Moon. pic.twitter.com/P0zJ8pwaeL
— NASA (@NASA) April 3, 2023
…and rounding out our #Artemis II Moon crew: mission commander @Astro_Reid!
Reid Wiseman lived & worked aboard the @Space_Station as a flight engineer in 2014. He also commanded the undersea research mission NEEMO21, and most recently served as Chief of the @NASA_Astronauts. pic.twitter.com/AincR66wpf
— NASA (@NASA) April 3, 2023
The crew received a congratulatory call from President Biden shortly after the announcement.
The @NASA Artemis II crewed mission around the Moon will inspire the next generation of explorers, and show every child – in America, in Canada, and across the world – that if they can dream it, they can be it. pic.twitter.com/X8q3GLTBiQ
— President Biden (@POTUS) April 3, 2023
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