NASA Unveils Diverse Artemis Crew for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts will embark on the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 6:49pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

NASA has announced the four-person crew for the upcoming Artemis mission, the first crewed lunar voyage since the Apollo era. The diverse team includes a woman, a person of color, and the first Canadian astronaut to travel to the moon. While they won't land on the lunar surface this time, the out-and-back journey will take them farther into space than any Apollo astronauts.

Why it matters

The Artemis crew represents a significant shift from the all-white, all-male astronaut corps of the Apollo program, reflecting NASA's efforts to diversify its ranks. This mission paves the way for future moon landings that will include a more representative group of explorers, inspiring people around the world.

The details

The four-person Artemis crew includes mission commander Reid Wiseman, a retired Navy captain from Baltimore who is a widowed father of two teenagers; Victor Glover, a Navy captain and former combat pilot from California who will be one of the few Black astronauts to travel to the moon; veteran astronaut Christina Koch, who holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman; and Canadian fighter pilot and physicist Jeremy Hansen, who will be 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 as its commander. Wiseman spent over five months on the International Space Station in 2014 and is a widowed father of two teenage daughters.

Victor Glover

A Navy captain and former combat pilot from Pomona, California, who will be one of the few Black astronauts to travel to the moon. Glover has one previous spaceflight to the International Space Station under his belt.

Christina Koch

An electrical engineer from Jacksonville, North Carolina, who holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman at 328 days. She participated in the first all-female spacewalk during her lengthy stay on the space station in 2019.

Jeremy Hansen

A Canadian fighter pilot and physicist who will be his country's first emissary to the moon. Hansen was selected as a Canadian Space Agency astronaut in 2009 and is making his space debut with the Artemis mission.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

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 to the moon will pave the way for future lunar landings, with a practice docking mission in orbit around Earth scheduled for 2027 and the first crewed moon landing since the Apollo era targeted for 2028.

The takeaway

The diverse Artemis crew represents a significant milestone in space exploration, showcasing NASA's commitment to inclusivity and inspiring people around the world. This mission will lay the groundwork for a new era of lunar exploration that will feature a more representative group of astronauts.