Meet the NASA astronauts headed to the moon on Artemis II mission
NASA has unveiled the crew that will head to the moon more than 50 years after the last lunar space flight, and for the first time the mission includes a woman and a black man
READING LEVEL: GREEN
NASA has unveiled the crew for its first human mission to the moon in more than 50 years – including the first woman and first black astronaut to be part of a lunar flight.
Christina Koch, a NASA astronaut who holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, will be a mission specialist on next year’s Artemis II flight around the moon.
Naval aviator Victor Glover will become the first black astronaut on a lunar mission when he pilots the Orion spacecraft that circles the moon in November 2024.
They will be joined by mission commander Reid Wiseman, 47, and Jeremy Hansen, also 47, a former fighter pilot who is now with the Canadian Space Agency.
The three Americans and one Canadian will become the first astronauts to venture* that deep into space since the historic Apollo missions ended in 1972.
The Artemis II flight is a prelude* to returning humans to the moon for the first time in more than half a century and an eventual mission to Mars.
The three American astronauts have all spent time on the International Space Station (ISS) while Hansen, the Canadian mission specialist, will be making his first space flight.
The four astronauts, dressed in blue flight suits, were introduced by NASA administrator Bill Nelson at an event at the Johnson Space Center in Houston on April 3.
“The largest, most powerful rocket in the world is going to propel* them onward and upward into the heavens,” Mr Nelson said.
Koch, an electrical engineer, spent a record 11 consecutive* months in space and took part in the first all-female spacewalks while on the ISS.
“Am I excited? Absolutely,” Koch, 44, said.
Glover, 46, said Artemis II was “more than a mission to the moon and back”.
“It is the next step that gets humanity* to Mars,” he said.
Mission commander Wiseman said the diverse* crew was made up of “exceptional operators”. “We’re just all professional explorers,” he said. “We are representing our nation.”
NASA aims to land astronauts on the moon in 2025 as part of the Artemis program, more than five decades after the final Apollo mission. Only 12 people – all of them white men – have set foot on the moon.
Besides putting the first woman and first person of colour on the moon, the US space agency hopes to establish a lasting human presence on the lunar surface as a stepping stone for an eventual voyage to Mars.
Mr Nelson has said he expects a crewed mission to Mars by the year 2040.
The 10-day Artemis II mission in November 2024 will test NASA’s powerful Space Launch System rocket, as well as the life-support systems aboard the Orion spacecraft.
The first Artemis flight wrapped up last December with an uncrewed* Orion capsule returning safely to Earth after a 25-day journey around the moon.
During that trip around moon and back, Orion travelled more than 1.6 million kilometres and went farther from Earth than any previous habitable* spacecraft.
GLOSSARY
- venture: undertake a risky or daring journey
- prelude: something that is an introduction to a main event
- propel: cause something to move forward
- consecutive: following one after another without an interruption
- humanity: human beings as a group
- diverse: including different types or a variety of things
- uncrewed: not containing a crew of people
- habitable: able to be lived in
EXTRA READING
Lift-off! NASA launches spaceship to the moon
NASA prepares to return to the moon
QUICK QUIZ
- How many astronauts will be on this space flight around the moon?
- What is the name of the mission?
- What record does Christina Koch hold?
- What was the name of the last lunar missions that ended in 1972?
- How many people have set foot of the moon to date?
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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. A waste of money?
“Moon missions are a waste of time and money!” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Write a paragraph. The purpose of your paragraph is to convince your reader to agree with your opinion on this question.
Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Science, Civics and Citizenship
2. Extension
Write a job advertisement for a Mission Commander to go on the next lunar mission. Your advertisement should focus on the skills that you think are needed and the right type of person who would do a great job on a lunar mission. Use information in the story to help you.
Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Science, Critical and Creative Thinking
VCOP ACTIVITY
I spy nouns
Nouns are places, names (of people and objects), and time (months or days of the week).
How many nouns can you find in the article? Can you sort them into places, names and time?
Pick three nouns and add an adjective (describing word) to the nouns.