As NASA prepares for its next monumental leap beyond Earth, the faces of those venturing into the cosmos are a stark contrast to the pioneering days of the Apollo program. Gone are the exclusively white, military test pilots who first walked on the lunar surface over half a century ago. The Artemis crew, poised to embark on a journey that will push the boundaries of human space exploration, represents a new era of diversity. This groundbreaking team includes a woman, a person of colour, and a Canadian astronaut. Notably, none of these individuals were alive during NASA’s storied Apollo missions, which saw 24 astronauts travel to the Moon, including 12 who set foot on its dusty plains.
While this mission won’t involve a lunar landing or even a full orbit of the Moon, the crew’s out-and-back trajectory will take them thousands of miles further into space than any Apollo astronaut ever ventured. This extended journey promises unparalleled views of the lunar far side, offering new scientific insights and breathtaking vistas.
The Artemis Crew: A New Generation of Explorers
The Artemis program aims to lay the groundwork for sustained human presence on the Moon, and this initial crew is at the forefront of that ambitious endeavour. Let’s get to know the four astronauts making this historic voyage.
Commander Reid Wiseman: A Father’s Courage
Leading this nearly 10-day mission is Commander Reid Wiseman, a man who candidly admits that solo parenting has been his most challenging and rewarding endeavour, even more so than the prospect of flying to the Moon. Wiseman, a 50-year-old retired Navy captain from Baltimore, was serving as NASA’s chief astronaut when he was tapped three years ago to command humanity’s first lunar journey since 1972. The timing, however, was poignant. His wife, Carroll, passed away from cancer in 2020, a profound loss that naturally gave him pause.
Having already spent over five months aboard the International Space Station in 2014, Wiseman was acutely aware of the impact his missions had on his family. His two teenage daughters, particularly the elder one, had expressed “zero interest” in him launching into space again.
“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’,” Wiseman recounted. “I cannot say no to that opportunity.” The following day, his daughters showed their unwavering support with homemade moon cupcakes. The most difficult aspect, he shared, isn’t the act of leaving them, but rather “the stress that I’m putting on them.” He maintains an open dialogue with his daughters about his mission, even sharing the location of his will.
Pilot Victor Glover: A Symbol of Progress
As one of NASA’s few Black astronauts, Pilot Victor Glover views his participation in this mission as a significant “force for good.” Glover, a 49-year-old Navy captain and former combat pilot from Pomona, California, finds perspective by listening to music from the Apollo era, such as Gil Scott-Heron’s “Whitey on the Moon” and Marvin Gaye’s “Make Me Wanna Holler.”
“I listen to those for perspective,” he explained. “It captures what we did well, what we did poorly.” The opportunity to offer hope to others, he believes, is “an amazing blessing and a privilege.” Despite having one previous spaceflight to the International Space Station under his belt, Glover is navigating new personal territory. His four daughters are now young adults in their late teens and early twenties, and he dedicates as much time and thought to preparing them for his absence as NASA does to preparing him for the mission.
His focus is on executing “our best race so that we can hand the baton off to the next leg” – referring to a planned 2027 practice docking mission in Earth orbit between a crew capsule and lunar landers. The ultimate goal, the first human lunar landing of the Artemis program, is slated for 2028 with a different crew.
Mission Specialist Christina Koch: A Record-Breaker’s Perspective
Mission Specialist Christina Koch is unfazed by the relatively short duration of the upcoming lunar mission, especially considering her previous record-breaking spaceflight. Koch, a 47-year-old electrical engineer from Jacksonville, North Carolina, holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, an impressive 328 days. During her extended stay at the space station in 2019, she also participated in the historic first all-female spacewalk.
For Koch, this mission is less about individual achievement and more about “celebrating the fact that we’ve arrived to this place in history” where women are integral to lunar exploration. Before her NASA career, Koch spent a year at a research station at the South Pole. Combined with her spaceflight experience, she feels she has “inoculated” most of her family and friends against the anxieties of her prolonged absences.
“So far, I haven’t gotten too many nerves from folks. Maybe my dog, but I’ve reassured her that it’s only 10 days. It’s not going to be as long as last time,” she quipped, referring to her rescue dog, Sadie Lou, whom she shares with her husband.
Jeremy Hansen: Canada’s Lunar Pioneer
For Jeremy Hansen, a fighter pilot and physicist with the Canadian Space Agency, this mission marks not only his debut in space but also his historic role as Canada’s first emissary to the Moon. “Maybe I’m naive, but I don’t feel a lot of personal pressure,” Hansen, 50, stated. He grew up on a farm near London, Ontario, and pursued a career in aviation before being selected as an astronaut by the Canadian Space Agency in 2009. His selection for the Artemis crew came in 2023.
Hansen now possesses a profound appreciation for the immense effort involved in the Apollo missions. “When I walk out and I look at the Moon now, it looks and feels a little bit farther than it used to be,” he admitted. “I just understand in the details how much harder it is than I thought it was watching videos of it.” He acknowledges the inherent dangers of spaceflight, a reality he has openly discussed with his college-aged son and twin daughters. “The most likely outcome is that we will come back safe. There’s a chance we won’t, and you will be able to move through life even if that happens,” he assured them.
