NASA has announced the four astronauts who will make up the first moon crew in 50 years. The crew comprises three Americans and one Canadian and will include the first woman and the first African American assigned to a lunar mission. During a ceremony in Houston, the crew was introduced and hailed as "humanity's crew" by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. They will be the first to fly NASA's Orion capsule, launching atop a Space Launch System rocket from Kennedy Space Center no earlier than late 2024.
Mission Details
The crew will fly around the moon and head straight back to Earth, without landing or going into lunar orbit. This mission is a prelude to a lunar landing by two others a year later. The crew's commander, Reid Wiseman, will be joined by Victor Glover, an African American naval aviator; Christina Koch, who holds the world record for the longest spaceflight by a woman; and Canada's Jeremy Hansen, a former fighter pilot and the crew's lone space rookie. Wiseman, Glover, and Koch have all lived on the International Space Station. All four are in their 40s.
Artemis Program and Canadian Space Agency Contribution
This is the first moon crew to include someone from outside the US, and the first crew in NASA's new moon program named Artemis after the twin sister of mythology's Apollo. The Canadian Space Agency has contributed big robotic arms to NASA's space shuttles and the space station, and one is also planned for the moon project. Canada's Jeremy Hansen said he's grateful that Canada is included in the flight.
Apollo Missions
During Apollo, NASA sent 24 astronauts to the moon from 1968 through 1972, with 12 of them landing. All were military-trained male test pilots except for Apollo 17's Harrison Schmitt, a geologist who closed out that moon landing era alongside the late Gene Cernan.
Future Plans
Provided this next 10-day moonshot goes well, NASA aims to land two astronauts on the moon by 2025 or so. NASA picked from 41 active astronauts for its first Artemis crew, with Canada having four candidates. Almost all of them took part in Monday's ceremony at Johnson Space Center's Ellington Field.
