
April 1 (Reuters) - All three NASA astronauts on the Artemis II lunar mission are veterans of Earth-orbit science expeditions to the International Space Station, while the lone Canadian joining them on a voyage around the moon and back is a spaceflight rookie.
Here are some highlights from the careers of mission commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialist Christina Koch, all U.S. astronauts, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, also a mission specialist.
MISSION COMMANDER REID WISEMAN
Wiseman, 50, logged 165 days aboard the International Space Station during a 2014 mission, flying to the orbiting platform aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. A former U.S. Navy test pilot, he later served as NASA's chief astronaut before being selected to command Artemis II.
PILOT VICTOR GLOVER
Glover, 49, spent 168 days in orbit beginning in 2020 as pilot of NASA's Crew-1 flight, the first full-fledged ISS mission using SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule to carry astronauts to the space station. Before joining NASA, he flew more than 40 aircraft during a U.S. Navy career that included combat deployments and test-pilot duties. A veteran of four spacewalks, he is the first Black astronaut ever to be sent on a lunar mission.
MISSION SPECIALIST CHRISTINA KOCH
Koch, 47, set a record in 2019 for the longest continuous spaceflight by a woman, spending 328 days aboard the ISS, and was part of NASA's first three all-female spacewalks. Trained as an electrical engineer and physicist, she previously worked as a NASA engineer and carried out extended research expeditions in Antarctica. She is the first woman to fly on a moon-bound mission.
MISSION SPECIALIST JEREMY HANSEN
Hansen, 50, a Royal Canadian Air Force colonel, is the first Canadian, and first non-U.S. citizen, sent on a lunar mission even as he makes his own first spaceflight. He was selected for Canada's astronaut corps in 2009, and his seat aboard Artemis II reflects a long-standing U.S.–Canadian partnership in human spaceflight, including Canada's contributions to robotics used aboard the ISS.
(Compiled by Joey Roulette in Cape Canaveral, Florida and Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Jamie Freed)
LATEST POSTS
- 1
Former biotech CEO sued over COVID vaccine alleged insider trading - 2
Massachusetts court hears arguments in lawsuit alleging Meta designed apps to be addictive to kids - 3
Well known Tea Brands for Each Tea Sweetheart - 4
1st human missions to Mars should hunt for signs of life, report says - 5
Sources: IDF does not actually know how many ballistic missiles Iran has left
NAFFIC and Aware to Launch First China-Europe Digital Product Passport
Hezbollah claims right to respond to killing of top commander
Authorities Bust Camel Booze Smuggling Operation, Seize Nearly 2,000 Containers of Illegal Alcohol
Parents speak out as 4-year-old fights button battery injury in intensive care unit
Germany to create restitution council to return colonia-era acquired cultural artefacts
5 Great Home Remodel Administrations With Green Arrangements In 2024
This cafe takes orders in sign language. It's cherished by the Deaf community
Clovis Unified students spend spring break traveling through China
‘Grit’ and relentless perseverance can take a toll on brain health − particularly for people facing social stresses like racism













