NASA Unveils Diverse Artemis Crew for Historic Moon Mission

The first lunar voyage in over 50 years will feature a woman, a person of color, and a Canadian astronaut.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 10:25pm

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NASA has announced the four-person crew for its upcoming Artemis mission, the first crewed lunar voyage since the Apollo era. The diverse team includes a woman, a person of color, and a Canadian astronaut - a stark contrast to the all-white, all-male crews of the past. While they won't land on the moon this time, the out-and-back journey will take them deeper into space than ever before, offering unprecedented views of the lunar far side.

Why it matters

The Artemis mission represents a significant step forward in the diversity and inclusivity of NASA's astronaut corps, reflecting the changing demographics of the United States and Canada. This mission paves the way for future moon landings that will feature even more diverse crews, inspiring people around the world and demonstrating the agency's commitment to equity and representation in space exploration.

The details

Leading the nearly 10-day mission is retired Navy captain Reid Wiseman, a widowed father of two from Baltimore. The crew also includes Navy captain and former combat pilot Victor Glover, the first Black astronaut to join an Artemis mission; electrical engineer Christina Koch, who holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman; and Canadian fighter pilot and physicist Jeremy Hansen, making his space debut as his country's first emissary to the moon.

  • The Artemis mission is scheduled to launch in 2026.
  • The crew will spend nearly 10 days on their out-and-back journey to the moon.

The players

Reid Wiseman

A retired Navy captain from Baltimore who is leading the Artemis mission. He is a widowed father of two who considers solo parenting his biggest challenge, not rocketing to the moon.

Victor Glover

A Navy captain and former combat pilot from Pomona, California, who is one of NASA's few Black astronauts. He sees his presence on the mission as 'a force for good' and a way to offer hope to others.

Christina Koch

An electrical engineer from Jacksonville, North Carolina, who holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman. She is excited to celebrate the fact that women can now fly to the moon.

Jeremy Hansen

A Canadian fighter pilot and physicist making his space debut as his country's first emissary to the moon. He realizes only now how much effort it took to send men to the moon during Apollo.

NASA

The United States space agency that is leading the Artemis mission, the first crewed lunar voyage since the Apollo era.

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What they’re saying

“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. I cannot say no to that opportunity.'”

— Reid Wiseman, Mission Commander

“I listen to those for perspective. It captures what we did well, what we did poorly.”

— Victor Glover, Astronaut

“Maybe I'm naive, but I don't feel a lot of personal pressure.”

— Jeremy Hansen, Astronaut

What’s next

The Artemis crew's out-and-back journey around the moon will pave the way for a 2027 practice docking mission in orbit around Earth between an Orion crew capsule and one or two lunar landers. The all-important moon landing would then follow in 2028 with a new set of astronauts.

The takeaway

The diversity of the Artemis crew represents a significant milestone in the history of space exploration, reflecting NASA's commitment to inclusivity and the changing demographics of the astronaut corps. This mission will inspire people around the world and set the stage for future lunar voyages that will continue to push the boundaries of human achievement.