NASA names crew of first manned mission to moon in over 50 years

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Artemis I mission ‘successful beyond NASA’s dreams’: Tom Jones

Veteran NASA astronaut Tom Jones recaps the historic Artemis I mission after the Orion capsule made a successful return to earth and outlines what this means for the lunar return program.

NASA, on Monday, named the four-person crew who will be launched to the moon on the first manned crew to the lunar satellite in over 50 years.

The crew consists of three firsts for the space agency, including the first woman, first person of color, and first Canadian to be sent to the moon.

The crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission (left to right): NASA astronauts Christina Hammock Koch, Reid Wiseman (seated), Victor Glover, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. (NASA)

"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," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a press release. "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."

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NASA made the announcement on Monday afternoon at Ellington Field near Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The agency also announced that Wiseman will serve as commander of the mission, while Glover will be the pilot, Koch will be specialist 1 and Hansen will be specialist 2 on a 10-day Artemis II test flight intended to prove the Orion spacecraft’s life-support systems while also validating the techniques and capabilities necessary for humans to live and work in deep space, according to a press release.

NASA's Artemis rocket ready for blast off at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

The test flight will also pave the way for long-term human exploration on the moon in the future, with eyes set on eventually venturing out to Mars.

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"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 color, 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."

All but one of the astronauts have made trips into space.

Buzz Aldrin's footprint on the Moon, Apollo 11 mission, July 1969. Boot-print of US astronaut Buzz Aldrin in the lunar soil. The Apollo 11 Lunar Module, code named Eagle, with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on board, landed in the Sea of Tranquillity on 20 July 1969. Apollo 11 was the fifth manned Apollo mission, and was the first to land on the Moon. Artist Buzz Aldrin. (Photo by Heritage Space/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

The Artemis II mission will be Wiseman’s second trip into space, with his first trip taking place on an expedition to the International Space Station from May through November 2014.

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The mission is also Glover’s and Koch’s second flight to space, both of whom spent time on the space station. Glover served as a pilot onboard SpaceX Crew-1 which returned to Earth in May 2021 after 168 days in space, while Koch served as a flight engineer on the space station, took part in the first all-female spacewalk and set the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, after spending 328 days in space.

Canada’s Hansen has never been to space but served as a fighter pilot and colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces. He was one of two recruits selected by the Canadian Space Agency in May 2009 and was the first Canadian to lead a NASA astronaut class, NASA said.

"We are going back to the Moon and Canada is at the center of this exciting journey," said the Honorable François-Philippe Champagne, the minister responsible for the Canadian Space Agency. "Thanks to our longstanding collaboration with NASA, a Canadian astronaut will fly on this historic mission.

"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," he added.

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Artemis II, which will be the first crewed mission to orbit the moon, is set to launch in late 2024. The crewed mission that will land on the moon, Artemis III, is scheduled for 2025.