By Aaron Miller-
NASA on Monday announced the four astronauts who will participate in the first crewed mission around the moon since the end of the Apollo era more than five decades ago.
Three of the four astronauts for this special mission are Americans who were selected from a pool of 18 NASA astronauts and the fourth astronaut, Hansen, is the first Canadian selected for a moon mission.
The goal is to send the crew into space, where they will spend two days in a close orbit around Earth, learning the spacecraft and making sure all systems are a go before heading out to the Moon
“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 colour, 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,” Vanessa Wyche, the director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, said in a statement.
In what is the second phase of NASA’s Moon-centric Artemis program, with the successful launch of the none crewed Artemis I mission ignited late last year, the program will consist of at least five Artemis missions, and is set to include the first lunar landing since 1972, and the landing of the first woman and first person of colour on the Moon
NASA is targeting November 2024 for the mission, dubbed Artemis II. According to NASA, the 10-day journey will “pave the way for lunar surface missions, including landing the first woman and first person of color on the Moon.” The test flight will not land on the moon or even enter lunar orbit, but instead it will fly around the moon and come back to Earth.
“This flight will be challenging, but we face that challenge with the confidence that the people working beside us are up to the task” Joseph Acaba, chief of NASA’s astronaut office, said during an event in Houston to announce the four crew members.
The ultimate goal of the Artemis II flight is to test the life-support systems of the Orion crew capsule “to prove the capabilities and techniques required to live and work in deep space in ways only humans can do,” according to NASA.
“The mission to the moon will launch four pioneers, but it will carry more than astronauts. Artemis II will carry the hopes of millions of people around the world,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said during the event.
The announcement comes after a successful Artemis I mission that sent the uncrewed Orion capsule around the moon. The capsule splashed down in the Pacific ocean in December after a 25-day mission.
“With Artemis I, we set out to prove that the hardware was ready, that [NASA’s Space Launch System] was prepared to launch our astronauts skyward, that Orion was equipped to carry them to the moon and back safely again,” Norman Knight, director of NASA’s flight operations directorate, said at the event. “Artemis I was a resounding success.”
The Artemis program, named after the twin sister of Apollo, aims to learn how to live on the moon so that the U.S. can safely send people to Mars.
“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,” Vanessa Wyche, the director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, said in a statement.
NASA is targeting November 2024 for the mission, dubbed Artemis II. According to NASA, the 10-day journey will “pave the way for lunar surface missions, including landing the first woman and first person of color on the Moon.” The test flight will not land on the moon or even enter lunar orbit, but instead it will fly around the moon and come back to Earth.
“This flight will be challenging, but we face that challenge with the confidence that the people working beside us are up to the task” Joseph Acaba, chief of NASA’s astronaut office, said during an event in Houston to announce the four crew members.
The goal of the Artemis II flight is to test the life-support systems of the Orion crew capsule “to prove the capabilities and techniques required to live and work in deep space in ways only humans can do,” according to NASA.
“The mission to the moon will launch four pioneers, but it will carry more than astronauts. Artemis II will carry the hopes of millions of people around the world,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said during the event.
The announcement comes after a successful Artemis I mission that sent the uncrewed Orion capsule around the moon. The capsule splashed down in the Pacific ocean in December after a 25-day mission.
“With Artemis I, we set out to prove that the hardware was ready, that [NASA’s Space Launch System] was prepared to launch our astronauts skyward, that Orion was equipped to carry them to the moon and back safely again,” Norman Knight, director of NASA’s flight operations directorate, said at the event. “Artemis I was a resounding success.”
The Artemis program, named after the twin sister of Apollo, aims to learn how to live on the moon so that the U.S. can safely send people to Mars.
Pilot Victor Glover could be the first person of colour to step foot on the moon, providing the Artemis II flight is successful and allows the project to progress. It will be his secod spaceflight, having previously spent 168 days in space as pilot on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1.
“This is a big day. We have a lot to celebrate and it’s so much more than the four names that have been announced,” said Glover.