The NASA Artemis Program seeks to bring the first woman and the next man to the surface of the Moon. Since 1972, no human has set foot on our natural satellite: in 2025 two astronauts are expected to do so.
The US Aerospace Agency had submitted a list of 18 applicants to crown the Moon in the Artemis III Mission, nine men and nine women. But CNN exclusively revealed a shortlist of eight astronauts.
Let us remember that, although four astronauts will travel on Artemis III, two will be on the lunar surface and the other two will remain in the SpaceX module.
The eight shortlisted to go to the Moon
Who would be the eight shortlisted, according to CNN?
- Reid Wiseman, naval aviator, 47 years old.
- Randy Bresnik, naval aviator, 55 years old.
- Victor Glover, naval aviator, 46 years old.
- Jeremy Hansen, fighter pilot, 47 years old. He is Canadian.
- Christina Koch, astronaut who performed the first all-female spacewalk, 44 years old.
- Anne McClain, Army pilot, West Point grad, 43 years old.
- Jessica Meir, astronaut who performed the first all-female spacewalk, 45 years old.
- Stephanie Wilson, mission specialist, 56 years old.
The premise of the Artemis Program is to bring the first woman and the first man of color (sic). However, it is possible that the astronaut is African-American, so it is not ruled out that the selected man is Caucasian.
In the story, they traveled to the moon 24 white men, 12 of them stepping on the surface. The first were Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, in 1969; the last, Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt, in 1972.
Another key to the selection of astronauts: there will be three Americans and one Canadian, for engagement with the Canadian Space Agency.
Jeremy Hanson It is the most requested in that country for recent missions, so with a high probability it will go on Artemis III to the Moon, even if it stays in the SpaceX module.
Who would make the decision on the astronauts who will go to the Moon?
- Drew Feustel, chief astronaut.
- normknight, Head of the Flight Operations Directorate.
- Vanessa Wyche, Director of the Johnson Space Center.
NASA administrator Bill Nelson will have no role in the process, he confirmed to CNN in early January. “That’s what the people at the Johnson Space Center do. They will make the decision. I don’t know if they already decided who the crew will be, nor should I know,” Nelson said.
What is necessary to go to the Moon in NASA’s Artemis Program?
“Skill, experience and maturity” are the necessary requirements to go to the Moon, according to Garrett Reisman, a former NASA astronaut, who spoke with CNN. “We are going beyond low-Earth orbit for the first time in a long time, in what is only the second flight of this vehicle”.
But there is one more factor to take into account: the physical characteristics of the astronaut.
“Trivial things can influence, Like the size of the space suit. If there is only one medium and one large and you need the extra large, you are lost. You will not be assigned to the mission,” Reisman explained.
“It can be crazy. little things that dictate how everything turns out and it is not always the most equitable or transparent process.”
Designated astronauts will travel on the Artemis II Mission to lunar orbit, following the path of Artemis I, before returning to Earth. It will be in Artemis III when two of them will step on the surface of the Moon.
