NASA’s Artemis II trip around the moon is the first crewed lunar mission in 50 years, continuing its path towards a long-term presence at the moon and maybe even Mars.
The 10-day flight is making history. Christina Hammock Koch, a Grand Rapids native, will become the first woman on a lunar mission, serving on Artemis II as Mission Specialist 1.
“We’re going to stay in an amazing high orbit reaching a peak of tens of thousands of miles as we test out all the systems on Orion and seeing how it maneuvers in space, and if everything looks good, we’re heading to the moon,” Koch explained during a NASA press conference Monday.
Koch is no stranger to creating history. She set a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, with a total of 328 days in space and participated in the first all-female spacewalks.
“The one thing I’m most excited about is that we’re going to carry your excitement, your aspiration, your dreams on this mission. Artemis II, your mission,” she said.
The flight will also feature the first person of color on a lunar mission – Pilot, Victor Glover - and the first Canadian – Mission Specialist 2, Jeremy Hansen. NASA’s Reid Wiseman will serve as mission commander.
