Meet the first Artemis crew flying to the moon since the Apollo era
AP News • • science
Key Points:
- NASA’s upcoming Artemis lunar mission features a diverse crew including a woman, a person of color, and a Canadian, marking a departure from the all-white, military test pilot Apollo astronauts of the 1960s and 70s.
- Commander Reid Wiseman, a widower and retired Navy captain, leads the nearly 10-day mission, balancing the challenge of solo parenting with the historic opportunity to travel around the moon.
- Pilot Victor Glover, one of NASA’s few Black astronauts, views his role as a symbol of progress and is focused on preparing for future lunar missions, including a 2027 docking practice and a 2028 moon landing.
- Mission specialist Christina Koch, who holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, emphasizes the historic significance of women flying to the moon and approaches the mission with calm confidence.
- Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen makes his space debut as Canada’s first representative on a lunar mission, acknowledging the risks involved but expressing confidence in returning safely and inspiring his family.
