NASA's Artemis Crew Embarks on Historic Moon Mission

The diverse team of four astronauts will venture farther into space than any Apollo-era travelers.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 12:03pm

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NASA's Artemis program is set to send the first astronauts to the moon in over 50 years. The four-person crew includes a woman, a person of color, and the first Canadian astronaut to travel to the lunar surface. This mission aims to pave the way for future moon landings, with the astronauts venturing thousands of miles deeper into space than even the Apollo astronauts.

Why it matters

The Artemis crew represents a significant shift from the all-white, all-male astronaut corps of the Apollo era, reflecting the increased diversity of NASA's astronaut selection in recent decades. This mission marks an important milestone in the democratization of space exploration, inspiring a new generation of space enthusiasts from underrepresented backgrounds.

The details

The Artemis crew consists of Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. While they won't land on the moon or even orbit it, the out-and-back journey will take them deeper into space than any Apollo mission, offering unprecedented views of the lunar far side. The astronauts face unique personal challenges, from Wiseman's recent loss of his wife to Glover's efforts to inspire the next generation of space explorers.

  • The Artemis mission is scheduled to launch in 2026.
  • The astronauts will spend nearly 10 days in space, the longest duration for a crewed mission to the moon since the Apollo era.

The players

Reid Wiseman

A retired Navy captain from Baltimore who is leading the Artemis mission as its commander. Wiseman spent over 5 months on the International Space Station in 2014 and is now preparing to embark on the first crewed mission to the moon in over 50 years.

Victor Glover

A Navy captain and former combat pilot from Pomona, California, who is serving as the Artemis mission's pilot. Glover is one of NASA's few Black astronauts and sees his presence on the mission as 'a force for good' that can inspire others.

Christina Koch

An electrical engineer from Jacksonville, North Carolina, who is the mission specialist on the Artemis crew. Koch holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, having spent nearly a year on the International Space Station in 2019.

Jeremy Hansen

A Canadian fighter pilot and physicist who is making his space debut as the first Canadian astronaut to travel to the moon. Hansen grew up on a farm in Ontario and was selected as a Canadian Space Agency astronaut in 2009.

Artemis

NASA's program to return humans to the moon, named after the Greek goddess of the moon. The Artemis mission will be the first crewed mission to the lunar surface since the Apollo program ended in 1972.

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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, Artemis Mission Commander

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

— Victor Glover, Artemis Mission Pilot

“More than any one individual, 'it's about celebrating the fact that we've arrived to this place in history' where women can fly to the moon.”

— Christina Koch, Artemis Mission Specialist

What’s next

The Artemis mission is a crucial step towards NASA's goal of landing astronauts on the moon again by 2028. The crew's out-and-back journey will help pave the way for future lunar landings, with a practice docking mission in orbit around Earth scheduled for 2027.

The takeaway

The diverse Artemis crew represents a significant milestone in the democratization of space exploration, inspiring a new generation of space enthusiasts from underrepresented backgrounds. This mission marks NASA's first crewed journey to the moon in over 50 years, venturing deeper into space than even the pioneering Apollo astronauts.