NASA Names Astronauts Who Will Make First Return to Moon in Over 50 years

NASA is announcing the four astronauts who will crew the Artemis II Moon Mission. Three Americans and one Canadian will

Apr 3, 2023
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NASA is announcing the four astronauts who will crew the Artemis II Moon Mission. Three Americans and one Canadian will helm the Artemis II.

This mission will mark the first time humans have returned to the moon in over 50 years, a historic milestone for space exploration.

The four astronauts who will blast off together for Luna are:

  • Victor Glover (46, NASA): Glover was the pilot of the first mission of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule which went to the ISS in 2020, spending 168 days aboard. First Black man assigned as a crew member on the ISS, and participated in four space walks. Glover served as a US Navy captain, and has a degree in general engineering along with three master’s degrees in flight test engineering, systems engineering and military operational art and science. He’s called “Ike” by peers – which stands for “I Know Everything.”
  • Christina Koch (44, NASA): Holds the record for longest single spaceflight by a woman at 328 days. She has made six total spacewalks, totaling 42 hours and 15 minutes. Koch worked as an electrical engineer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, and was a researcher in the United States Antarctic Program, spending a year in the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. Koch has also worked at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab and NOAA.
  • Reid Wiseman (47, NASA): Wiseman served as a captain in the US Navy during two deployments in the Middle East, spent 165 days aboard the International Space Station, and served as NASA’s chief astronaut.
  • Jeremy Hansen (47, Canadian Space Agency): Hanson served as a Colonel and fighter pilot for the Canadian Armed Forces, but has not yet flown in space. During his time representing the CSA at NASA, Hansen served as capsule communicator between mission control in Houston and the astronauts aboard the ISS. He was also the first Canadian tasked to lead an astronaut class.

When asked about the momentous occasion, Koch responded, “Am I excited? Absolutely.” Hansen acknowledged the US for partnering on the next mission, saying, “All of Canada is grateful.”

Glover, as pilot, said, “This is a big day. We have a lot to celebrate. We need to celebrate this moment in human history.”

Wiseman will serve as the mission’s commander.

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