NASA has announced the four astronauts who will embark on the first crewed moon mission in nearly five decades. The quartet, comprising Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen, are set to begin training for the historic Artemis II lunar flyby scheduled to launch in November 2024.
The astronauts, aged between 44 and 47 years old, bring a diverse range of backgrounds and experience to the table. Wiseman, a decorated naval aviator and test pilot from Baltimore, Maryland, will serve as commander of the mission. Hansen, also a fighter pilot, is one of only four active Canadian astronauts and will become the first Canadian to travel to deep space.
Glover, a 46-year-old naval aviator from California, has already completed a six-month stint on the International Space Station aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft. Koch, a veteran engineer and six-time spacewalker, holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman with over 328 days in space.
The Artemis II mission will serve as a crucial stepping stone towards establishing a permanent lunar outpost and paving the way for humanity's next great leap – sending humans to Mars. The crew will launch atop NASA's Space Launch System rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, embarking on a journey that could potentially take them further than any human has traveled before.
The Artemis II mission is expected to last around 10 days and will send the crew out beyond the moon, with the exact distance yet to be determined. Upon completion of their lunar flyby, the spacecraft will return to Earth for a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean.
While the launch date is set for November 2024, the mission is already facing some challenges, with NASA's inspector general predicting that delays could push the Artemis III mission to 2026 or later. However, the agency remains committed to its ambitious plans, aiming to return humans to the moon and beyond within the next decade.
The selection process for the astronauts was shrouded in secrecy, but director of NASA's Johnson Space Center Vanessa Wyche emphasized the diversity of the Artemis II crew, which includes men and women from different backgrounds. The four astronauts will be interviewed on "CNN This Morning" later this week, providing a unique insight into their experiences and preparation for the historic mission.
With months to go before launch, the world holds its breath as these four individuals prepare to embark on an extraordinary journey that will leave humanity in awe of human ingenuity and exploration.
The astronauts, aged between 44 and 47 years old, bring a diverse range of backgrounds and experience to the table. Wiseman, a decorated naval aviator and test pilot from Baltimore, Maryland, will serve as commander of the mission. Hansen, also a fighter pilot, is one of only four active Canadian astronauts and will become the first Canadian to travel to deep space.
Glover, a 46-year-old naval aviator from California, has already completed a six-month stint on the International Space Station aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft. Koch, a veteran engineer and six-time spacewalker, holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman with over 328 days in space.
The Artemis II mission will serve as a crucial stepping stone towards establishing a permanent lunar outpost and paving the way for humanity's next great leap – sending humans to Mars. The crew will launch atop NASA's Space Launch System rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, embarking on a journey that could potentially take them further than any human has traveled before.
The Artemis II mission is expected to last around 10 days and will send the crew out beyond the moon, with the exact distance yet to be determined. Upon completion of their lunar flyby, the spacecraft will return to Earth for a splashdown landing in the Pacific Ocean.
While the launch date is set for November 2024, the mission is already facing some challenges, with NASA's inspector general predicting that delays could push the Artemis III mission to 2026 or later. However, the agency remains committed to its ambitious plans, aiming to return humans to the moon and beyond within the next decade.
The selection process for the astronauts was shrouded in secrecy, but director of NASA's Johnson Space Center Vanessa Wyche emphasized the diversity of the Artemis II crew, which includes men and women from different backgrounds. The four astronauts will be interviewed on "CNN This Morning" later this week, providing a unique insight into their experiences and preparation for the historic mission.
With months to go before launch, the world holds its breath as these four individuals prepare to embark on an extraordinary journey that will leave humanity in awe of human ingenuity and exploration.
you know what's wild? I was at this awesome food truck festival over the weekend and they had the best Korean BBQ tacos 
I mean, who comes up with these genius ideas? But anyway, back to space... I'm super excited for this mission but have you ever wondered what it'd be like to live on a spaceship for an extended period? I've seen those zero-gravity videos of astronauts and they just look so chill 
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. can't wait to see what kinda tech they bring back with them - maybe some cool new materials or something? 
NASA's been putting in so much work for this mission, and it'll be awesome to see it all come together in November 2024. 
I'm really hyped about this Artemis II mission, you know? It's amazing to think that we're gonna have a Canadian up there 
. Jeremy Hansen is like, super talented and stuff. And the diversity of the crew is really cool, I mean, we've got women and men from all over 
. I'm also kinda worried about the delays tho 
. I hope they can get everything sorted out so the mission doesn't get pushed back too much 
. But still, it's awesome to see NASA making progress on this whole lunar thing 
. We'll have to keep an eye on it and see how it all unfolds 
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. Reid Wiseman as commander is a great choice, I mean who better to lead the way than someone with naval aviator and test pilot experience? 
But what about Jeremy Hansen becoming the first Canadian in deep space? That's awesome 
Is it because of the complexity of the mission or something else? And what's gonna happen if they can't get there in time? Like, will humanity still explore the cosmos or what? 
. Also, has anyone thought about what the crew is gonna do when they're out there for 10 days? Are they just gonna chill and enjoy the views or are there specific tasks they need to complete? 
Mind blown! And Christina Koch's record-breaking 328 days in space? 
. It's like, we gotta explore and all, right? 
. They're pros at this space stuff 
I'm so stoked about this news! The fact that we're finally going back to the moon is a huge step forward for space exploration 
. But what I'm really excited about is the fact that this mission is setting us up for even bigger things... Mars, here we come! 
The fact that they're having four astronauts from different backgrounds is super cool, too. It's like, we need more people who are all about exploring space and pushing boundaries, you feel me? 
Jeremy Hansen being a fighter pilot and Christina Koch holding the record for longest single spaceflight by a woman - yessss, let's get this crew ready to make some history! 
the world cant w8 4 november 2024 launch day 
. Not saying I don't think humanity should explore space, but can we please focus on making these missions sustainable for once? 
. The fact that Christina Koch held the record for longest single spaceflight by a woman is insane! 
Jeremy Hansen becoming the first Canadian in deep space is a huge milestone too 
. And OMG is it gonna be hard for them to, you know, eat in space? Like do they just eat freeze-dried ice cream all day? 