NASA reveals astronauts who will fly around moon for Artemis II mission

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — NASA officials held a special event Monday to reveal the four astronauts it plans to send on a mission around the moon and back.

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The Artemis II mission will mark the first time in more than 50 years humans will return to lunar orbit.

Video: NASA’s Artemis I rocket begins journey to moon after launching from Florida’s Space Coast NASA and others around the world are celebrating another historic moment on Florida’s Space Coast. (James Tutten, WFTV.com/WFTV)

Artemis II is aiming to launch from Florida’s Space Coast as soon as November of next year.

The mission will also set the stage for NASA’s next moon landing.

Watch: NASA shares results of Artemis mission review in preparation for next crewed flight around the moon

The Artemis II crew will consist of three NASA astronauts and a Canadian astronaut.

Nasa astronaut Christina Hammond Kock was the first to be named to take part in the Artemis II mission.

Kock will serve as a mission specialist on the historic flight.

Watch: To boldly go: NASA reveals new spacesuits for planned Moon landing mission

She will be joined by fellow NASA astronaut Victor Glover who will serve as the pilot of NASA’s Orion spacecraft.

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Carina Nebula This landscape of “mountains” and “valleys” speckled with glittering stars is actually the edge of a nearby, young, star-forming region called NGC 3324 in the Carina Nebula. Captured in infrared light by NASA’s new James Webb Space Telescope, this image reveals for the first time previously invisible areas of star birth.

NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman was picked to serve as commander of Artemis II.

Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen was also selected as a mission specialist for the 10-day space voyage.

Watch: NASA collects data from mannequins to study impact of solar radiation on future astronauts

Artemis II will test NASA’s human deep space exploration capabilities and help meet the goal of a future journey to Mars.

See more in the video above.

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