Artemis II launched Wednesday evening with a four-person crew that will fly around—but not land on—the Moon. The mission includes several historic firsts: it carries the first woman, the first Black man and the first Canadian to perform a lunar flyaround.
Crew and roles
Reid Wiseman, Mission Commander — A former U.S. Navy aviator and veteran NASA astronaut, Wiseman has logged about 165 days aboard the International Space Station and completed two spacewalks. He is a single father and has spoken publicly about balancing family life with the demands of being an astronaut.
Victor Glover, Pilot — Glover returns to deep space after a long-duration mission on SpaceX Crew Dragon in 2020 (168 days). On Artemis II he serves as pilot and becomes the first person of color to fly on a lunar mission. He is a husband and father.
Christina Koch, Mission Specialist — Koch is the first woman selected for a lunar mission. She already holds spaceflight records, including a single flight of 328 days (the longest by a woman), and took part in the first all-female spacewalks. Koch enjoys climbing and surfing and is carrying personal mementos on the flight.
Jeremy Hansen, Mission Specialist — A rookie astronaut from the Canadian Space Agency, Hansen is the first Canadian to travel beyond low-Earth orbit. This is his first spaceflight; he brought family tokens, including moon pendants, on the mission.
Mission profile and near-term events
After liftoff the vehicle reached an initial elliptical Earth orbit. The crew will perform a perigee-raising maneuver to raise the orbit’s lowest point to a safer altitude, then execute a trans-lunar injection burn on flight day two to send the spacecraft toward the Moon. The crew will separate from the upper stage and carry out proximity operations to test the Orion spacecraft and crew procedures; NASA said two test pilots will be at the controls during these activities.
Former astronaut Ron Garan noted that while the successful launch clears a major hurdle, risky phases remain—especially the perigee-raising burn and the upcoming maneuvers. He described the launch as thrilling and observed that the crew will keep a busy schedule, likely taking short naps rather than one long sleep early in the mission.
Selection and risk
Astronaut selection is highly competitive, with thousands of applicants for each slot. Those chosen understand and accept the risks involved in exchange for the scientific, exploratory and societal benefits of returning humans beyond low-Earth orbit. Garan congratulated the crew and reflected on the significance of seeing another Earthrise, an experience that has shifted perspectives in past missions.
Objectives
Artemis II’s primary goals are to demonstrate Orion and associated systems with a crewed lunar flyaround, validate crew operations in deep space, and collect data to support future Artemis missions—including eventual returns to the lunar surface. The flight is a key step in reestablishing sustained human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit and preparing for missions that will land astronauts on the Moon.