Montanans Play Key Roles in Artemis II Moon Mission

Engineers and an astronaut with Montana ties are part of the historic return to the Moon.

Apr. 5, 2026 at 5:34pm

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The Artemis II mission, the first crewed lunar orbit since the Apollo program, features several Montanans playing important roles. Engineers Jeremiah Hall and Daniel Baca, both from Montana, are working on the mission for NASA. Additionally, astronaut Christina Koch, who was living in Livingston, Montana when selected for the Astronaut Corps, is part of the four-person crew.

Why it matters

The Artemis II mission marks a major milestone in space exploration, as the United States returns humans to the Moon for the first time in over 50 years. Montana's involvement highlights the state's contributions to the nation's space program and the talent pool of STEM professionals the state produces.

The details

Hall, a graduate of Whitefish High School and Montana State University, and Baca, a Flathead Valley High School alum who studied at the University of Colorado Boulder, are aerospace engineers working on the Artemis II mission. Astronaut Christina Koch, who spoke to students in Livingston, Montana while aboard the International Space Station in 2019, is one of four crew members on the Artemis II mission.

  • The Artemis II mission launched on Wednesday, April 5, 2026.
  • The mission is expected to wrap up by April 10, 2026.

The players

Jeremiah Hall

A Montana native and mechanical engineer who graduated from Whitefish High School and Montana State University before earning a master's degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder.

Daniel Baca

A Flathead Valley High School graduate who earned bachelor's degrees in mathematics, computer science and astrophysics before studying aerospace engineering in graduate school at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he also met his wife who also works on Artemis II.

Christina Koch

An astronaut on the Artemis II mission who was living in Livingston, Montana when she was selected to join the NASA Astronaut Corps.

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What they’re saying

“It's not every day you meet a Montanan who's going to space!”

— Steve Daines, U.S. Senator

The takeaway

The Artemis II mission's connections to Montana highlight the state's contributions to the nation's space program and the talent it produces in STEM fields. As the United States returns to the Moon, Montanans are playing key roles in this historic endeavor.