Montanans Play Key Roles in Artemis II Moon Mission

Engineers and an astronaut with Big Sky state connections are part of the historic lunar orbit mission.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 3:34am

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The Artemis II mission to orbit the Moon features several connections to Montana, including two engineers - Jeremiah Hall and Daniel Baca - who are working on the project 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 the first time humans have orbited the Moon since the Apollo program in the 1960s and 70s. Montana's involvement highlights the state's contributions to the nation's space exploration efforts and the growing prominence of Montanans in the aerospace industry.

The details

Hall and Baca, both native Montanans, are working as engineers on the Artemis II mission. Hall graduated from Whitefish High School and studied mechanical engineering at Montana State University before earning a master's degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder. Baca, who attended Flathead Valley High School, has degrees in mathematics, computer science, astrophysics, and aerospace engineering, also from CU Boulder. Astronaut Christina Koch, who was living in Livingston, Montana when selected for the Astronaut Corps in 2013, is one of the four crew members on the Artemis II mission.

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

The players

Jeremiah Hall

A Montana native who graduated from Whitefish High School and studied mechanical engineering at Montana State University before earning a master's degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder. He is working as an engineer on the Artemis II mission for NASA.

Daniel Baca

A Montana native who attended Flathead Valley High School and 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 Astronaut Corps in 2013. She has maintained connections to Montana, even speaking to a high school in Livingston while aboard the International Space Station in 2019.

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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

What’s next

The Artemis II mission is expected to be completed by April 10, 2026, marking the first time humans have orbited the Moon since the Apollo program.

The takeaway

Montana's involvement in the historic Artemis II mission, through the contributions of engineers and an astronaut with state connections, highlights the growing prominence of Montanans in the aerospace industry and the state's contributions to the nation's space exploration efforts.