NASA announces the names of astronauts who will fly to the Moon

NASA has announced the names of four astronauts selected for the Artemis 2 lunar mission. The expedition, scheduled for November 2024, will be the first manned flight to the Moon since 1972.

Source. nasa.gov

The crew of Artemis 2 includes Americans Reed Wiseman (commander), Christina Koch and Victor Glover, as well as Canadian Jeremy Hansen.

According to the plan, the mission will last 10 days: during this time, the astronauts will fly to the Moon and circle it in the Orion capsule, after which they will return to Earth.

"We are ushering in a new era of exploration for a new generation of starry-eyed travelers and dreamers – the Artemis generation," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson at the team's introduction ceremony.

"For the first time in more than 50 years, these people – the crew of Artemis 2 – will be the first humans to travel to the moon. The crew includes the first woman, the first person of color, and the first Canadian," added NASA Director Vanessa Veach.

This mission, which was preceded by the unmanned Artemis 1, will, in turn, prepare for Artemis 3, scheduled for 2025, which includes the landing of humans on the Moon.

"The 10-day flight test of Artemis II will launch the powerful Space Launch System rocket developed by the agency, test the Orion spacecraft's life support systems, and confirm the capabilities and techniques needed for humans to live and work in deep space," the statement said.

In the long term, NASA is seeking to establish a base on the Earth's satellite. This base will allow conducting tests to solve the next task – sending a person to Mars.

Background. In November, it was reported that the Artemis 1 mission to the Moon had launched: NASA launched the Orion spacecraft.