these are the four astronauts traveling to the moon

It is a special mission: after more than half a century, man will finally set foot on the moon. NASA announced on Monday who will be the lucky ones who will make a first test run in this direction with Artemis II.

At Ellington Field, near NASA’s large Johnson Space Center in Houston, the US space agency and the Canadian space agency (CSA) have revealed who will fly the first manned mission to the moon. Aboard the test flight are Captain Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist 1 Christina Hammock Koch and Mission Specialist 2 Jeremy Hansen.

new age
“The crew of Artemis II represents thousands of people who have worked tirelessly to take us to the stars. This is their crew, this is our crew, this is humanity’s crew,” said NASA CEO Bill Nelson. “NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Hammock Koch and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen each have their own story, but together they represent our belief: E pluribus unum, one of many. Together, we usher in a new era of discovery for a new generation of star travelers and dreamers, the Artemis Generation.

First lady
It’s pompous language, but what does it really mean? In short, the Artemis II mission is a ten-day manned test flight, relaunching the Orion spacecraft from the giant Space Launch System (SLS). Astronauts circle the moon to test life support systems and verify that everything is there and working properly for people to live and work in space. The spaceflight, scheduled for November 2024, follows the Artemis I unmanned mission which successfully completed in December. For the first time, a woman and a person of color go to the moon. Together with the other two, they are to pave the way for long-term manned missions to the Moon and possibly Mars.

Wise man
And these astronauts are certainly not beginners in the field. Captain Wiseman (47) is going to space for the second time. He previously worked as a flight engineer on the International Space Station for Expedition 41 from May to November 2014. Wiseman has 165 days in space under his belt. He also served as chief of the Astronaut Office in Houston for nearly two years.

glover
It is also his second space flight for the pilot Glover (46 years old). He previously piloted NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1, which returned to Earth in May 2021 after 168 days in space. He completed four spacewalks aboard the ISS for Expedition 64 and participated in scientific research and technology testing.

cook
Koch (44) is also going into space for the second time. She worked as a flight engineer aboard the space station for Expeditions 59, 60 and 61. With a total of 328 consecutive days in space, she holds the record for the longest spaceflight by a woman. She also participated in the first spacewalk in which only women participated.

Hansen
Hansen (47) is on board on behalf of Canada. He is going into space for the first time. He was a colonel in the Canadian army and a former fighter pilot. After a bachelor’s degree in space science and a master’s degree in physics, he was one of two recruits selected by the CSA as part of the third Canadian astronaut recruitment campaign. He was also Capcom (capsule-communication) for NASA, which means he was the one who communicated with the astronauts in space on Earth.

“They are exactly what an astronaut team should be: a mix of highly skilled and talented people with the skills and determination to meet any challenge as a team. The Artemis II mission is a challenge and we will push the limits as we prepare to send astronauts to the moon. With Reid, Victor, Christina and Jeremy at the helm, I’m confident we can meet any challenge.

The Artemis program
The Artemis mission has three phases. The Artemis I was an uncrewed test flight to test the Orion spacecraft and the brand new giant SLS rocket. Orion approached the moon more than 100 kilometers and then passed it about 64,000 kilometers, a new record. Last December, Orion landed in the Pacific Ocean after a 42-day mission that also tested and approved the spacecraft’s heat shield.
Artemis II will be shorter at ten days, but it might be an even bigger baptism of fire. For the first time, there will be people on board, getting very close to the moon. The Orion will hopefully travel in November 2024, much the same route as with Artemis I. Ultimately, in 2025, people will have to set foot on the moon again for the first time in over fifty years. .