NASA has officially announced the four astronauts who will make history by being the first crewed team to visit the moon in over 50 years. The Artemis II mission is scheduled to launch around November 2024, with a journey expected to last about 10 days.
Commander Reid Wiseman, a decorated naval aviator and test pilot, will lead the mission. Wiseman was selected as an astronaut in 2009 and has previously spent time on the International Space Station. He'll be joined by Victor Glover, a naval aviator who recently returned from his first spaceflight on SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft. Christina Koch, a veteran of six spacewalks and the record holder for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, will also be part of the crew.
The fourth member of the team is Jeremy Hansen, a fighter pilot from Canada who'll become the first Canadian to travel to deep space. The diverse crew includes men and women, marking a shift away from historic NASA missions that have mostly featured White male test pilots.
The Artemis II mission will serve as a dress rehearsal for the more ambitious Artemis III mission, which aims to put the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface. The technology required for this mission is still in development, with NASA targeting a 2025 launch date for Artemis III, although delays are likely.
The crew was selected from a pool of candidates after undergoing rigorous training and evaluation. When Koch found out she'd been chosen, she described the experience as "speechless" and added that it's an honor to be part of the team going back to the moon and on to Mars. An interview with the four astronauts will air on CNN This Morning next week.
Commander Reid Wiseman, a decorated naval aviator and test pilot, will lead the mission. Wiseman was selected as an astronaut in 2009 and has previously spent time on the International Space Station. He'll be joined by Victor Glover, a naval aviator who recently returned from his first spaceflight on SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft. Christina Koch, a veteran of six spacewalks and the record holder for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, will also be part of the crew.
The fourth member of the team is Jeremy Hansen, a fighter pilot from Canada who'll become the first Canadian to travel to deep space. The diverse crew includes men and women, marking a shift away from historic NASA missions that have mostly featured White male test pilots.
The Artemis II mission will serve as a dress rehearsal for the more ambitious Artemis III mission, which aims to put the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface. The technology required for this mission is still in development, with NASA targeting a 2025 launch date for Artemis III, although delays are likely.
The crew was selected from a pool of candidates after undergoing rigorous training and evaluation. When Koch found out she'd been chosen, she described the experience as "speechless" and added that it's an honor to be part of the team going back to the moon and on to Mars. An interview with the four astronauts will air on CNN This Morning next week.
. Like, can't they just retire early and enjoy their golden years like the rest of us? And have you seen those astronaut ice cream flavors? "Rocky Road to Mars" 
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. It's probably just a way to get the public excited and distracted while they're actually working on some top-secret project. And don't even get me started on Jeremy Hansen, the Canadian fighter pilot... what's his connection to NASA? Is he being recruited for more than just this mission? 
. I mean, come on, a White male test pilot leading the mission? That's not progress, that's just business as usual... or so they want us to think 
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so a whole team of astronauts? isn't that just gonna be a big waste of cash on a bunch of rich people's vacations in space lol? i mean, what are they really gonna do up there? it's not like they're gonna find some super expensive alien mineral or something 
I mean, have you seen the lineup? There's Commander Reid Wiseman, a decorated naval aviator; Victor Glover, a spaceflight veteran; Christina Koch, a total rockstar with six spacewalks under her belt, and Jeremy Hansen, the first Canadian to go deep space! 
It's going to be so cool to see them all in action. I'm also super hyped about Artemis III, which is aiming for a 2025 launch date and will put the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface - it's like, totally historic stuff! 
like, we've been waiting for this moment for ages now and it's so cool to see a diverse crew making history! Reid Wiseman is gonna lead the charge and bring back some awesome intel for us 
, and with Victor Glover on board, we know SpaceX expertise will come in handy 
. And can we talk about Christina Koch for a sec? 6 spacewalks and still killing the game 
, it's an honor to have her part of this crew! Jeremy Hansen from Canada is gonna make some major waves too 
, becoming the first Canuck in deep space is no joke. I'm hyped for Artemis II and can't wait to see what tech they'll bring back 
. And let's not forget about the ultimate goal - Artemis III! 
Christina Koch's going to crush it on Mars too, btw 
The fact that they're doing this mission as a "dress rehearsal" for Artemis III means there's even more excitement building up to it! I'm also loving how Koch described being part of the team, she sounds like such a total rockstar 
. I'm really hoping we get to see some awesome vids and pics from these astronauts on their journey! 
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they'll make it to Mars next, but first, let's celebrate this major achievement. Commander Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen are going to make history and inspire a whole new generation of space enthusiasts. Can't wait for the CNN interview! 
