admin NASA has today named the four astronauts who will take humanity back to the Moon for the first time in 50 years. Artemis 2, launching in either late 2024 or early 2025, will include the first woman and first person of colour on a lunar mission.
NASA, alongside the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), announced the four astronauts who will venture around the Moon on Artemis II – the first crewed mission to our lunar neighbour since 1972 – during an event today at Ellington Field near NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
“The Artemis II crew represents thousands of people working tirelessly to bring us to the stars. This is their crew, this is our crew, this is humanity’s crew,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Hammock Koch, and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen, each has their own story, but, together, they represent our creed: E pluribus unum – out of many, one. Together, we are ushering in a new era of exploration for a new generation of star sailors and dreamers – the Artemis Generation.”
The 10-day flight will launch on the agency’s powerful new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which had its first uncrewed test in November. It aims to prove the Orion spacecraft’s life-support systems, and validate the capabilities and techniques needed for humans to live and work in deep space. At its closest point, Orion will be 7,400 km (4,600 mi) from the Moon, passing around its far side before returning to Earth.
The crew will work as a team to execute an ambitious set of demonstrations. Their assignments are: Reid Wiseman (47), Commander; Victor Glover (46), Pilot; Christina Hammock Koch (44), Mission Specialist 1; and Jeremy Hansen (47), Mission Specialist 2.
This will be Wiseman’s second trip into space, having served previously as a flight engineer aboard the International Station (ISS) in 2014. Wiseman has logged more than 165 days in space, including almost 13 hours as lead spacewalker during two trips outside the ISS.
The flight will also be Glover’s second, having served on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1, which landed on 2nd May 2021 after 168 days in space. As a flight engineer aboard the ISS, he contributed to scientific investigations, technology demonstrations, and participated in four spacewalks.
Koch will also be making her second flight, having served aboard the ISS from 2019-2020. Koch set a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman with a total of 328 days in space and participated in the first all-female spacewalks.
Hansen, representing Canada, will be making his first flight to space. A colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces and former fighter pilot, Hansen holds both a Bachelor of Science in space science and a Master of Science in physics, from Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario. His research focused on Wide Field of View Satellite Tracking. He served as CapCom (short for Capsule Communication) in NASA’s Mission Control Center at Johnson and, in 2017, became the first Canadian to be entrusted with leading a NASA astronaut class, training astronaut candidates from the United States and Canada.
“For the first time in more than 50 years, these individuals – the Artemis II crew – will be the first humans to fly to the vicinity of the Moon. Among the crew are the first woman, first person of colour, and first Canadian on a lunar mission, and all four astronauts will represent the best of humanity as they explore for the benefit of all,” said Director Vanessa Wyche, NASA Johnson. “This mission paves the way for the expansion of human deep space exploration and presents new opportunities for scientific discoveries, commercial, industry and academic partnerships and the Artemis Generation.”
“We are going back to the Moon, and Canada is at the centre of this exciting journey,” said François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. “Thanks to our longstanding collaboration with NASA, a Canadian astronaut will fly on this historic mission. On behalf of all Canadians, I want to congratulate Jeremy for being at the forefront of one of the most ambitious human endeavours ever undertaken. Canada’s participation in the Artemis program is not only a defining chapter of our history in space, but also a testament to the friendship and close partnership between our two nations.”
“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.”
Through the Artemis missions – of which 10 are planned, from 2024 to 2035 – NASA will use innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before. The agency will collaborate with commercial and international partners to establish a long-term presence on the Moon. NASA intends to use what it learns on and around the Moon to take the next giant leap: sending the first astronauts to Mars.
