NASA select the first woman and black man in a moon mission
NASA names four astronauts to take part in the Artemis-2 mission to orbit the moon, including the first woman astronaut to be assigned to a lunar mission, Christina Koch, and the first black astronaut, Victor Glover. The crew also includes Reid Wiseman and Jeremy Hansen. While they will not land on the moon, the mission is expected to pave the way for a subsequent crew to do so. The Artemis-2 mission will launch late next year or early in 2025, using 21st-century technology developed under NASA’s Artemis program.
Artemis-3, the first landing of the new era, was delayed at least 12 months after Artemis-2 due to NASA’s lack of a lunar landing system. Elon Musk’s Space X was developing the Star ship vehicle, set to begin flight testing soon. The Artemis-2 mission was seen as a crucial step towards a future Mars mission, according to astronaut Victor Glover. The astronauts, including the first woman, person of color, and Canadian on a lunar mission, were introduced at a Houston ceremony. NASA’s Vanessa Wyche said the crew represented the best of humanity on their exploration journey.