These four astronauts will travel farther from Earth than anyone before them

Four astronauts will fly around the moon on Artemis II, traveling farther from Earth than any humans to date, and the crew reportedly includes firsts for a woman, a person of color and a Canadian on a lunar mission.

NASA's Artemis II mission will send four astronauts on a crewed flight around the moon, a journey that will take them farther from Earth than any humans have gone. The flight is positioned as a test of hardware and procedures ahead of a planned lunar landing mission. The crew includes experienced astronauts and one first-time spacefarer, and members have spoken about the personal sacrifices their families have made for this assignment. The mission will use NASA's Space Launch System rocket and the Orion capsule in what is reported to be their second flight. Key details: - Crew and reported firsts: The four are named Wiseman, Koch, Glover and Hansen, and the crew is reported to include the first woman, the first person of color and the first Canadian on a lunar mission. - Crew backgrounds: Wiseman is a Navy veteran and astronaut since 2009 who spent six months on the International Space Station and is a single father; Koch set the single-flight endurance record for a woman in 2019 and took part in NASA's first all-female spacewalk; Glover flew on SpaceX Crew Dragon in 2020 and served as a U.S. Navy captain and test pilot; Hansen is making his first spaceflight and was selected by the Canadian Space Agency in 2009 after a career as a fighter pilot and colonel. - Mission hardware: Artemis II will be the second flight of the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion capsule; Artemis I was an uncrewed flight more than three years earlier. - In-flight tasks: The crew will demonstrate docking procedures in Earth's orbit, conduct science experiments and test systems aboard Orion as a trial run for a future landing mission. - Personal items: Crew members plan to carry small mementos such as family letters, a Bible and heirlooms, wedding rings, and a moon pendant intended as keepsakes. - Connection to Artemis III: Artemis II is described as a stepping stone for Artemis III, which aims to land four astronauts near the moon's south pole in 2027. Summary: Artemis II is framed as both a technical test flight and a symbolic step beyond previous human journeys from Earth. The mission will check procedures and systems needed for a planned lunar landing, and the next major milestone reported is the Artemis III landing attempt in 2027.