Meet the first Artemis crew flying to the moon since the Apollo era

NASA’s Artemis Mission Signals New Era of Lunar Exploration with Diverse Crew

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — For the first time in over five decades, NASA is preparing to send humans back toward the moon, but with a crew that reflects the dramatic evolution in America’s space program since the Apollo era.

The four astronauts selected for NASA’s upcoming Artemis mission represent a significant departure from their Apollo predecessors. While the pioneering lunar explorers of the 1960s and early 1970s were exclusively white men with military test pilot backgrounds, the Artemis crew showcases NASA’s commitment to diversity with the inclusion of a woman, a person of color, and a Canadian astronaut.

None of the crew members were alive during the Apollo program that sent 24 astronauts to the moon between 1968 and 1972. Though they won’t land on the lunar surface during this mission, they will venture thousands of miles deeper into space than Apollo astronauts, offering unprecedented views of the moon’s far side during their nearly 10-day journey.

Leading the mission is Commander Reid Wiseman, a 50-year-old retired Navy captain from Baltimore. Wiseman, who previously spent over five months aboard the International Space Station in 2014, faced a personal dilemma when offered the command role three years ago. Following his wife Carroll’s death from cancer in 2020, Wiseman carefully weighed his responsibilities as a single father to two teenage daughters against the historic opportunity.

“We talked about it and I said, ‘Look, of all the people on planet Earth right now, there are four people that are in a position to go fly around the moon. I cannot say no to that opportunity,'” Wiseman recalled. His daughters ultimately supported his decision, even baking moon-themed cupcakes to celebrate.

Serving as pilot is Victor Glover, a 49-year-old Navy captain and former combat pilot from California. As one of NASA’s few Black astronauts, Glover views his participation as “a force for good” and maintains perspective by regularly listening to Gil Scott-Heron’s “Whitey on the Moon” and Marvin Gaye’s “Make Me Wanna Holler” — songs that reflect the social inequities during the Apollo era.

“It captures what we did well, what we did poorly,” Glover explained about the music. With one spaceflight already under his belt — an early SpaceX mission to the International Space Station — Glover is focused on setting the stage for future Artemis missions, including a planned lunar landing in 2028.

Christina Koch, a 47-year-old electrical engineer from North Carolina, rounds out the American contingent as mission specialist. Koch already holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman at 328 days and participated in the first all-female spacewalk in 2019. For her, the mission represents a broader achievement.

“More than any one individual, it’s about celebrating the fact that we’ve arrived to this place in history where women can fly to the moon,” she said. Koch’s previous experiences, including a year at a South Pole research station, have prepared her for the challenges of space isolation.

Completing the crew is Jeremy Hansen, a 50-year-old fighter pilot and physicist making his space debut as Canada’s first lunar explorer. Selected as an astronaut in 2009, Hansen grew up on a farm near London, Ontario, before pursuing a flying career.

“When I walk out and I look at the moon now, it looks and feels a little bit farther than it used to be,” Hansen said, reflecting on his newfound appreciation for the technical challenges of lunar missions. “I just understand in the details how much harder it is than I thought it was watching videos of it.”

The Artemis program represents NASA’s ambitious return to lunar exploration, with this initial mission serving as a crucial stepping stone. Future missions include a practice docking operation planned for 2027, followed by the much-anticipated moon landing scheduled for 2028 with a different crew.

This mission marks a pivotal moment in space exploration history, bridging the 52-year gap since humans last ventured beyond Earth orbit while setting the stage for a new, more inclusive chapter in lunar exploration.