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NASA has chosen 18 astronauts who will train for missions on and around the Moon as part of the agency’s Artemis program. The Artemis Team was introduced by Vice President Mike Pence during the eighth National Space Council meeting at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday. The program aims to land the first woman and the next man on the moon in 2024 with an eye toward establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon by the end of the decade.
“Walking on the lunar surface would be a dream come true for any one of us, and any part we can play in making that happen is an honor,” said Chief Astronaut Pat Forrester. “I am proud of this particular group of men and women and know that any of them would do an outstanding job representing NASA and the United States on a future Artemis mission.”
December 10th, 2020
NASA
NASA has shared a shortlist of astronauts eligible for the first Artemis missions to the Moon, and it won’t surprise you to hear that it’s an eclectic mix. The 18 candidates not only cover a range of backgrounds, but include everyone from relative newcomers to some of its most seasoned veterans.
Eight of the astronauts are from the 2017 class, including US Navy Lieutenant Commander Kayla Barron, Navy SEAL and medical doctor Jonny Kim and Curiosity science team member Jessica Watkins. There are also several 2013 veterans, though, including record-setter Christina Koch and Crew Dragon pilot Victor Glover. A few of the candidates are far more experienced, though Stephanie Wilson landed her astronaut role in 1996, while Joseph Acaba secured his place in 2004.
| UPDATED: 16:40, Thu, Dec 10, 2020
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NASA is gearing up to send humans back to the Moon for the first time since 1972 as part of the Artemis mission. The first astronauts there, which will include the first woman to ever step foot on our lunar satellite, will be tasked with building a lunar base. NASA has wasted no time in preparing for the mission and has already announced the first astronauts likely to go there come the middle of the decade.
NASA names 18 astronauts who will train to go the moon
By AP Staff
18 astronauts, half of which are females, have been selected to train for NASA s Artemis program.
NASA has named the 18 astronauts half of them women who will train for its Artemis moon-landing program.
The first woman and next man on the moon will come from this elite group.
Vice President Mike Pence introduced the astronauts Wednesday at the close of his final meeting as chairman of the National Space Council. The announcement was made at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center, beneath one of only three remaining Saturn V moon rockets from the 1960s and 1970s Apollo program.