It’s been 50 years since NASA first sent astronauts to the moon. The Apollo 17 mission was a huge leap for space exploration and included the longest time spent exploring the lunar surface. The Artemis II Mission is a 10-day orbit around the moon and back again, in preparation for a lunar landing. NASA has officially announced the crew for the mission. A Canadian rookie, and three residents of the International Space Station.
Artemis II will be launched no later than 2024. The astronauts will launch from Kennedy Space Center, flying NASA’s Orion Capsule. But unlike heading straight for the moon, they’re simply taking a tour around it before heading back home. Really this is more of a test flight for future projects. A year after this mission, two lunar landings will be initiated, with the hope of landing astronauts on the moon once again in 2050.
Ready To Take To the Stars
The stars of this mission are more than excited to become the first explorers in 50 years to initiate further lunar trips. Their credentials are nothing to sneeze at, either. Victor Glover is a naval aviator and with be the first African American ever to be on mission. Christina Koch holds the world record for longest spaceflight by a woman. Reid Wiseman is mission commander and is a US Navy Captain. Jeremey Hansen from Canada is the only rookie of the team, though a former fighter pilot.
Glover, Koch, and Wiseman have all spent time living on the International Space Station. All four astronauts are in their 40s, proving you’re not “old” when you hit 30. “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,” Glover said.
