Four astronauts — Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Jeremy Hansen — are preparing to fly on NASA’s Artemis II, a 10-day lunar flyby that will take them farther from Earth than any humans have traveled since Apollo 13. The mission will not land on the moon but will test the SLS rocket and Orion capsule with a human crew, rehearse docking and operational procedures, and conduct experiments to prepare for a planned Artemis III lunar landing near the moon’s south pole in 2027.
Artemis II: Four Astronauts Set To Travel Farther From Earth Than Anyone Since Apollo
Clockwise from top left: commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen. (Josh Valcarcel / NASA)(Josh Valcarcel)
In just over a week, four astronauts are scheduled to launch on NASA’s Artemis II — a roughly 10-day lunar flyby that will take them farther from Earth than any humans have traveled in more than 50 years.
Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen in front of NASA's Space Launch System rocket and Orion capsule at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Jan. 17, before they entered quarantine. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images)(Joe Raedle)
The crew — NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman (commander), Victor Glover (pilot) and Christina Koch (mission specialist), along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen (mission specialist) — will ride NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion crew capsule on a trajectory that will surpass the Apollo 13 distance record of 248,655 miles.
The Artemis II crew during water survival training at NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in Houston in 2024. (Josh Valcarcel / NASA)(Josh Valcarcel)
What This Mission Will Do
Artemis II is a crewed rehearsal, not a lunar landing. The flight will validate Orion’s systems with humans on board, demonstrate docking procedures, run scientific experiments and test operational procedures that will be essential for the planned Artemis III landing near the moon’s south pole. The mission is intended to pave the way for returning humans to the lunar surface in the coming years.
Reid Wiseman with his daughters. (Courtesy Reid Wiseman)(Courtesy Reid Wiseman)
The Crew Behind The Flight
Reid Wiseman, a former Navy officer and astronaut since 2009, previously spent six months aboard the International Space Station. Wiseman, who is raising two daughters as a single father since his wife’s death in 2020, said he feels both excitement and the weight of the sacrifices his family has made.
Jeremy Hansen's pendants with his family’s birth stones and the words “moon and back”. (Courtesy Jeremy Hansen)(Courtesy Jeremy Hansen)
Christina Koch is a veteran of long-duration spaceflight and historic firsts: she spent 328 days in space in 2019 — the longest single spaceflight by a woman — and helped carry out NASA’s first all-female spacewalk.
Christina Koch with her husband and dog. (Courtesy Christina Koch)(Courtesy Christina Koch)
Victor Glover flew on the first operational SpaceX Crew Dragon mission to the ISS in 2020. A U.S. Navy captain and former test pilot, he brings operational flight experience and leadership to the crew.
Victor Glover and family. (Courtesy Victor Glover)(Courtesy Victor Glover)
Jeremy Hansen will make his first trip to space on Artemis II and will become the first Canadian to travel beyond low Earth orbit toward the moon. Hansen is a former fighter pilot and colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces and was selected as a Canadian Space Agency astronaut in 2009.
Jeremy Hansen and family. (Courtesy Jeremy Hansen)(Courtesy Jeremy Hansen)
Personal Keepsakes And Motivation
All four astronauts plan to carry small mementos: letters, family heirlooms, a Bible and personal jewelry are among the items described. These keepsakes are a tangible way for the crew to include their families in the journey and to return with objects that have flown farther from Earth than most people ever will.
“There is nothing left on my to-do list. I’m ready to go,” Wiseman wrote on X as the crew completed quarantine in Houston — a routine precaution to limit exposure to illness before launch.
Timing And Next Steps
The crew entered prelaunch quarantine in Houston about a week ago and are expected to arrive at Kennedy Space Center roughly six days before liftoff. The launch window could open as early as Feb. 8, although NASA has not confirmed a firm date.
Artemis II follows the uncrewed Artemis I mission, which flew around the moon more than three years ago. Its primary objective is to serve as a critical step toward Artemis III, currently targeted for a crewed lunar landing near the south pole in 2027.
Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, highlighted the mission’s symbolic importance when the crew was named: “Among the crew are the first woman, first person of color, and first Canadian on a lunar mission — and all four astronauts will represent the best of humanity as they explore for the benefit of all.”
As the flight approaches, the astronauts’ focus is practical and forward-looking: validate systems, complete test objectives and help ensure the Artemis program delivers humans back to the moon safely and sustainably.
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