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Over 50 years ago, on December 11, 1972, humanity traveled to the moon for the last time. That is, until NASA’s Artemis II mission marked the beginning of the newest chapter in space exploration!
On April 1, 2026, the Artemis II mission launched four astronauts around the moon aboard the Orion spacecraft, nicknamed the Integrity. The mission lasted nearly ten days and paved the way for future space exploration.
Even though the four astronauts on board are heroes in their own right, the mission required thousands of scientists, engineers, technicians, and programmers to work together behind the scenes to make it all possible.
To celebrate this achievement, let’s take a deeper dive into the Artemis II crew and some of the other people who sent humans the farthest they’ve ever been into space!
Reid Wiseman – Leading Humanity Back to the Moon
Reid Wiseman was the commander of Artemis II, overseeing everything going on in the mission.
Wiseman is a former Navy pilot and experienced astronaut. In the Navy, he flew fighter jets, helped put together flight testing programs, and received multiple awards for serving around the world! To him, that still wasn’t enough, so in 2009, he applied for astronaut training and was one of only nine out of 3,500 people to be accepted. Once he finished his training, he flew to the International Space Station as an engineer, where he lived for six months.
During the Artemis II journey, Wiseman was in charge of crew safety, mission execution, and handling any surprise issues. He also took the now-famous photo, Hello World, seen below. He was chosen as commander for his emphasis on teamwork, communication, and preparation.
Christina Koch – Breaking Barriers in Deep Space
Christina Koch was a mission specialist in the Artemis II crew and was already a record-breaker before taking off.
Koch has been an astronaut since 2013, and originally graduated from the NASA Academy program in 2001 before she became an electrical engineer. Her success in engineering caught the attention of NASA 12 years after her graduation and allowed her to go to space! In 2019, she launched to the International Space Station and became part of the first all-female spacewalk, which is when an astronaut goes outside the ship into space. She’s spent 42 total hours floating outside of the ship – Wiseman has only spent 12!
On the Artemis II mission, Koch broke more records, becoming the first woman to travel beyond low Earth orbit and the first to ever travel around the moon. Aboard the Integrity, she made scientific observations, helped run spacecraft operations, and helped evaluate how astronauts can live and work effectively in deep space. She also took the now-famous photo, Earthset.
Victor Glover – Piloting Humanity the Furthest it’s Ever Been
Victor Glover served as the pilot of NASA’s Orion spacecraft, Integrity, during the Artemis II mission.
Like Wiseman, Glover was an experienced member of the Navy, where he flew over 40 types of craft for over 3,000 hours in the air! With degrees in engineering, flight test engineering, and military operational art, he was selected by NASA in 2013 to become an astronaut. Glover would later become the first Black astronaut to live aboard the International Space Station, which he did for six months.
During the Artemis II mission, Glover navigated the Integrity and made critical maneuvers while the crew made their trip around the moon. His technical knowledge and calm decision-making made him critical to the team’s success. He’s also spoken about how he wants to inspire the next generation of explorers to pursue STEM.
“The thing that really draws me and excited me about the future is the opportunity to be a part of kindling America’s passion for aerospace and space.”
Jeremy Hansen – Canada’s First Lunar Astronaut
Jeremy Hansen made history during the Artemis II mission by becoming the first Canadian astronaut to ever travel to the moon, and the first non-American to travel beyond low Earth orbit.
Hansen was originally a fighter pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force until his technical skills eventually earned him a spot in the Canadian Space Agency’s astronaut program in 2009. Although he spent 17 years training with astronauts from all over the world, the Artemis II was still his first trip to space!
Aboard the Integrity, Hansen worked as a mission specialist, like Koch, where he shared many of the same responsibilities, supporting navigation, communications, and mission operations. His involvement in the mission highlights how space exploration is a cause for the whole world to come together to support!
The Engineers Behind Orion and Artemis
Artemis II needed thousands of team members to be the success that it was.
Teams across NASA and their partner organizations spent years designing and testing the Orion spacecraft, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, life-support systems, navigation technology, and more that made survival in deep space possible.
The results of Artemis II serve as a reminder that technological innovation is powered by curiosity, creativity, and collaboration. Every successful mission needs people with different talents to come together to solve a common problem.
For kids who want to be part of those teams one day, STEM programming is where to start. Programs from Engineering For Kids help students build valuable teamwork and STEM skills through hands-on activities that encourage innovation and problem-solving, just like what was used on the Artemis II mission!