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'How inclusive': Internet hails Artemis 2 crew as NASA announces names of astronauts heading to moon after 50 years

The 10-day Artemis 2 mission astronauts will come within 6,479 miles of the lunar surface and travel 6,400 miles beyond the far side of the moon

HOUSTON, TEXAS: NASA has named a crew of astronauts headed to the moon for the first time in over half a century. NASA's last moon mission was Apollo 17, which took place in 1972. On Monday, April 3, the space agency announced the astronauts set to launch on its Artemis 2 mission -- commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen.

"Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy, each of these adventurers have their own story. But together, they represent our creed: E pluribus unum — out of many, one," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, according to Space.com. "Together, we will usher in a new era of exploration for a new generation of star sailors and dreamers — the Artemis Generation." It was estimated that the Artemis campaign will cost $93 billion between 2012 and 2025, according to PBS.

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The Artemis 2 mission will follow hybrid free return trajectory

The four astronauts will reportedly lift off aboard NASA's Orion spacecraft atop a Space Launch System (SLS) rocket from Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This will be the first time both the capsule and booster will fly with astronauts aboard. This will also be the second launch of both vehicles together after the uncrewed Artemis 1 test flight in 2022.

The 10-day Artemis 2 mission is supposed to follow a hybrid free return trajectory instead of orbiting or landing on the moon. The crew will use the SLS upper stage, known as the interim cryogenic propulsion stage, as a target for proximity operations.

The astronauts will come within 6,479 miles (10,427 kilometers) of the lunar surface. They will reportedly travel 6,400 miles (10,300 km) beyond the far side of the moon, from where they will be able to see Earth and the moon from Orion's windows. This is farther than any human being has traveled into deep space. The Orion will eventually splash down in the Pacific Ocean and will met by US Navy ships and NASA teams, who will recover the crew and spacecraft. 

Who are the crew members?

Reid Wiseman, 47, has spent 165 days in Earth orbit during his 2014 flight to the ISS. He is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and a former fighter pilot for the U.S. Navy. From 2020 to 2022, Wiseman also served as chief of NASA's astronaut office. "There are three words that we keep saying in the Artemis program and they are, "We are going." And I want everyone to say them," he said.

Victor Glover, 46, who became a NASA astronaut in 2013, was the pilot of SpaceX's first operational crewed spaceflight. He was born in Pomona, California, and is an engineer and captain in the U.S. Navy. He was also the first Black astronaut to serve on a space station crew. "We have a lot to celebrate and it's so much more than the four names that have been announced," said Glover. "We need to celebrate this moment in human history because Artemis II is more than a mission to the moon and it's more than a mission that has to happen before we send people to the surface of the moon. It is the next step on the journey that gets humanity to Mars."

Christina Koch, 44, is a member of NASA's 21st astronaut class, selected in 2013. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and raised in Jacksonville, North Carolina, she set a record for the single longest mission by a woman at 328 days aboard the International Space Station. She was one-half of the first-ever all-female spacewalk during that stay in 2019. "My fellow astronauts know that one of the questions we get all the time is, 'Are you excited?' And I can tell you, when I think about this mission... am I excited? Absolutely," said Koch. "My real question is, 'Are you excited?'"

Jeremy Hansen, 47, is a colonel in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Born in London, Ontario, he joined Canada's astronaut corps in 2009. Back in 2014, he served as an aquanaut aboard the Aquarius underwater lab. His seat on Artemis 2 is reportedly part of the 'Canada-U.S. Gateway Treaty'. "There are two reasons why a Canadian is going to the moon that makes me smile," said Hansen. "The first one is American leadership. It is not lost on any of us that the United States could choose to go back to the moon by itself. But America has made a very deliberate choice over the decades to curate a global team and that in my definition is true leadership."

'How inclusive!'

Social media users encourages the crew, with one user saying, "I know there’s no Brits or Europeans but I’m buzzing for this. Good luck NASA and your astronauts, I will be watching." Another said, "We're so excited for this mission!" "Congratulations to this magnificent crew! Well deserved!" one user wrote. 

"I can't believe people are going to the moon again and this is the first I'm hearing of it, I'm so excited Will there be footage for ppl to see ??" one user said, while another wrote, "Excellent choices for the crew! Congratulations to them all! I only hope they not only get to fly around the moon but one day to walk on it too!" "How inclusive! I hope that the Artemis capsule has more room than the Apollo capsules. Yeah, can't waste oxygen- which reminds me, is the O2 safely stored? Also, can the fly-by drop cargo to the surface for future missions?"

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