A crew that reflects a new century
The astronauts of the Artemis program are a mirror of how the world has changed since the Apollo era. Far from being military test pilots, this team includes a woman, a person of color, and a Canadian. None were born when Neil Armstrong took his first moonwalk.
This mission will not land on the satellite, but it will go further into deep space than any Apollo. It promises unprecedented views of the far side of the Moon.
The four pioneers of the 21st century
Commander Reid Wiseman (50 years old)
A widower and single father, this retired Navy captain considers raising his teenage daughters his biggest challenge. He hesitated when he was offered to lead the first lunar trip since 1972, after losing his wife to cancer.
“Of all the people on planet Earth right now, there are four who are in a position to go fly around the Moon,” he told his daughters. “I can’t say no to that opportunity.”
The next day, his daughters supported him with homemade moon-shaped muffins.
Pilot Victor Glover (49 years)
One of NASA’s few black astronauts, he listens to Apollo-era music for “perspective.” Originally from California, he sees their presence as “a force for good.”
“It’s an incredible blessing and a privilege” to offer hope to others, he says.
With four nearly grown daughters, he spends as much time preparing them for life as NASA spends preparing him for space.
Specialist Christina Koch (47 years old)
She holds the record for the longest individual space flight by a woman: 328 days. For her, this goes beyond individual people.
“It’s about celebrating the fact that we’ve reached this point in history” where women can fly to the Moon.
His only concern seems to be his rescue dog, Sadie Lou, whom he reassures by telling her that “it’s only 10 days.”
Jeremy Hansen (50 years old)
This Canadian pilot makes his space debut as his country’s first emissary to the Moon. Raised on a farm in Ontario, he now understands how difficult it really is to get there.
“When I go out and look at the Moon now, it looks and feels a little further away,” he confesses.
He has spoken frankly with his three children about the risks: “The most likely outcome is that we will return safely. There is a chance that we will not.”
Together they form the team that will pave the way for the next moon landings scheduled for the end of this decade.
