NASA publicizes the astronauts who will participate in its historic mission to the moon

(CNN) – NASA introduced Monday the 4 astronauts — three Individuals and one Canadian — who will orbit the moon subsequent yr on the Artemis II mission, which can return people to the deepest a part of the photo voltaic system in 5 a long time.

The mission commander is Reed Wiseman, a 47-year-old adorned naval pilot and check pilot who was first chosen to be an astronaut at NASA in 2009. Wiseman was the top of the Astronaut Workplace till November 2022. Though the president can’t fly whereas working You get higher flying missions if you depart the job, which is a “acknowledged benefit” of the job, in keeping with former NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman.

The pilot is Victor Glover, a 46-year-old naval aviator who returned to Earth from his first spaceflight in 2021 after commanding the second crewed flight of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and spending practically six months aboard the Worldwide House Station. The veteran of 4 spacewalks earned a grasp’s diploma in engineering whereas serving as a check pilot.

The expedition specialists are Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen.

Koch, 44, has accomplished six spacewalks. She holds the file for the longest spaceflight by a lady, totaling 328 days in house. Koch can be {an electrical} engineer and has helped develop science devices for a number of NASA missions. She additionally spent a yr on the South Pole, a grueling sojourn that might properly put together her for the depth of a mission to the Moon.

Hansen, 47, was chosen to be an astronaut for the Canadian House Company practically 14 years in the past, and this shall be his first spaceflight mission. The 47-year-old fighter pilot just lately grew to become the primary Canadian tasked with coaching a brand new class of astronauts for NASA.

“The mission to the Moon will launch 4 astronauts, however it should carry extra than simply astronauts,” NASA Administrator Invoice Nelson mentioned in a press release. “Artemis 2 will carry the hopes of tens of millions of individuals all over the world. It should carry the aspirations of the NASA household who have a look at the moon each night time realizing their efforts will get us again to the moon. It should carry the desires of the scholars who’re burning tabs in libraries and laboratories, making ready to in the future help the Artemis mission.”

The mission is scheduled to launch in November 2024.