Meet the Artemis II Crew: The Next Moon Voyagers

Artemis II and its Crew

Meet the Artemis II Crew:

The Next Moon Voyagers

Introduction

The Artemis 2 crew is all set to begin their training for their upcoming 10-day mission to the Moon. The crew includes commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen.

About the Astronauts

Christina Koch, one of the mission specialists and also to first woman ever assigned a lunar mission by NASA, has some key advice for kids who dream of walking on Mars one day: “Do what scares you”. That’s some solid advice from a NASA legend headed to the moon!

The Artemis 2 mission will launch no earlier than November 2024. It’s going to be an exciting journey for sure!

But let’s not forget about the other members of the crew. Reid Wiseman, the commander, is a former naval aviator and test pilot. He was selected as an astronaut in 2009 and has already spent 165 days in space.

Victor Glover, the pilot, is a former naval aviator and test pilot as well. He was selected as an astronaut in 2013 and has also spent time in space. He notably will be the first person of colour to visit the moon.

Jeremy Hansen, the other mission specialist, is a former Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot. He was selected as an astronaut in 2009 and this will be his first spaceflight.

Together, these four astronauts will orbit the Moon in the capabilities of Artemis II, NASA’s first manned deep-space spacecraft. The mission will pave the way for future lunar surface missions and spur the next generation of exploration - the Artemis Generation.

About the Spacecraft

But let’s not forget about the real star of the show - the spacecraft itself. The Orion spacecraft will give the astronauts the big push needed to break free from Earth orbit and set course for the Moon. This trans-lunar injection burn will send them on an outbound trip of about four days, taking them around the far side of the Moon.

At their max distance, the crew will fly about 6,400 miles beyond the Moon. During the approximate four-day return trip, they will continue to evaluate the spacecraft’s systems.

The crew will endure a high-speed, high-temperature reentry into Earth's atmosphere before plunging into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego. There they will be met by a recovery team that will bring them back to shore.

Conclusion

So there you have it - a brief overview of the Artemis 2 crew and their upcoming mission to the Moon. It’s going to be one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind… again!