FOR the first time in over 50 years, four heroic humans are set to embark on a historic 10-day trip around the Moon and back.
Nasa’s is scheduled to lift off from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Here we get to know the audacious astronauts.
The Artemis 2 mission is scheduled to launch on April 1, 2026Credit: Shutterstock
What time is Artemis 2’s launch?
is aiming for a launch time of 11.24pm BST on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, which is 6.24pm local time (EDT).
A two-hour window is available, meaning the at any time until 1.24am BST on Thursday morning (8.24pm EDT on Wednesday).
Backup dates are available between April 2 and April 6 if the launch is cancelled for any reason.
According to Nasa, the weather forecast for April 1 shows an 80 per cent chance of favourable conditions.
The crew have spent the final days of the countdown in quarantine inside Kennedy Space Center, observing a controlled sleep schedule and following a nutrition plan to stay in peak condition ahead of launch.
Liftoff is scheduled to take place from Launch Complex 39B at , Florida.
Who are the Artemis 2 astronauts?
Reid Wiseman – commander
Reid Wiseman is a former US Navy test pilotCredit: NASA
Reid Wiseman, 50, is the mission commander.
He was born in Baltimore and is a former fighter pilot and test pilot who served for 27 years and joined NASA in 2009.
Reid flew F-35 and F-18 jets and was deployed to the Middle East twice.
He first flew to space in 2014, spending 165 days aboard the and completing two spacewalks.
Reid holds engineering degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Johns Hopkins University.
At 50, he will be the oldest person ever to leave low Earth orbit.
In 2020, he lost his wife Carroll to cancer and has since raised his teenage daughters, Katherine and Ellie, while training for the mission.
Speaking of his crew, Reid said: “When I look at Victor, Christina and Jeremy, they want to go do this mission, they are keenly driven, they are humble to a fault. It is so cool to be around them.”
Victor Glover – pilot
As a kid Victor Glover dreamed of becoming a cop like his dadCredit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
Victor Glover, 49, is the mission pilot.
He was born in Pomona, , and grew up dreaming of being a stuntman, fireman, race car driver, or a cop like his dad.
He earned an engineering degree from California Polytechnic State University before completing three master’s degrees.
Victor logged more than 3,500 flying hours in over 40 aircraft during a Navy career that included 24 combat missions and more than 400 carrier landings.
He was selected as a Nasa astronaut in 2013 while working as a legislative fellow in the US Senate.
Victor flew his first space mission in 2020 aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, spending 168 days on the International Space Station.
He is married with four daughters, and is bringing a Bible, his wedding rings and heirlooms for his girls along with him on the mission.
Victor said: “Pushing ourselves to explore is core to who we are. It is part of being human…
“We go out to explore, to learn where we are, why we are, understanding the big questions about our place in the universe.”
Christina Koch – mission specialist
Christina Koch is the first woman ever to fly on a lunar missionCredit: AFP or licensors
Christina Koch, 47, is a mission specialist and the first woman ever to .
She was born in Grand Rapids, , and raised in Jacksonville, .
Christina holds two bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering and physics, and a master’s in electrical engineering, all from North Carolina State University
Before becoming an astronaut she worked as an engineer on Nasa’s Juno probe and spent a year at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica.
Christina was selected as an astronaut in 2013 and first flew to space in 2019, spending 328 consecutive days on the International Space Station – a record for a woman.
She also took part in the first ever all-female spacewalk, alongside fellow astronaut Jessica Meir.
Christina is married and in her spare time surfs, rock climbs and goes backpacking.
As a child, she had the iconic Earthrise photo from the Apollo 8 mission on her bedroom wall.
Christina said: “The fact that it was a human behind that lens made that picture so much more profound and changed the way we thought of our own home.
“The Moon was not just a symbol for thinking about our place in the Universe, it is a beacon for science and understanding where we came from.”
Jeremy Hansen – mission specialist
Jeremy Hansen will be the first Canadian ever to travel to the MoonCredit: AFP
Jeremy Hansen, 50, is set to become the first Canadian ever to travel to the Moon.
Born in London, Ontario, and raised on a farm near Ailsa Craig, he fell in love with flying at the age of 12 when he joined the Royal Canadian Air Cadets.
He had his glider wings at 16 and a private pilot’s licence at 17.
Jeremy studied space science at the Royal Military College of Canada before serving as a CF-18 fighter pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force from 2004.
He flew Arctic operations and Norad missions before the Canadian Space Agency selected him as an astronaut in 2009.
This will be Hansen’s first ever trip to space.
He has three children with his wife Catherine, who is a doctor.
Jeremy is carrying four moon-shaped pendants engraved with the words “moon and back” with him on the mission, one each for his wife and kids.
He said: “The Artemis missions have set such an ambitious goal for humanity that… nations around the globe are coming together.”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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