The Artemis II mission will mark the first time in more than 50 years that a crewed spacecraft orbits the Moon, as four astronauts prepare for a test flight seen as a key step toward future lunar habitation and eventual missions to Mars.

The crew brings together three astronauts from NASA and one from the Canadian Space Agency, combining technical expertise with personal experiences that reflect the demands and risks of human spaceflight, says the BBC.

Commander Reid Wiseman

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Photo: NASA/BBC

Commander Reid Wiseman, a former US Navy test pilot, previously spent six months aboard the International Space Station in 2014. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Wiseman is raising two teenage daughters as a single father after his wife died of cancer in 2020. Speaking about preparing his children for the risks of his profession, he said: “Here’s where the will is, here’s where the trust documents are, and if anything happens to me, here’s what’s going to happen to you… That’s part of this life.” He added that uncertainty is inherent to both life and spaceflight, saying: “…you never know what the next day is going to bring.”

Wiseman also highlighted the cohesion within the crew, saying: “When I look at Victor, Christina and Jeremy, they want to go do this mission, they are keenly driven, they are humble to a fault. It is so cool to be around them.” He said he hopes the mission will be viewed as a “tiny step” toward humans living on the Moon and walking on Mars, describing its broader purpose as being “For all humanity!” He plans to carry a small notepad to record his thoughts during the mission.

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Photo: NASA/BBC

Mission Specialist Christina Koch

Mission specialist Christina Koch, an engineer and physicist, joined the astronaut corps in 2013. She holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, at 328 days, and took part in the first all-female spacewalk. Koch will become the first woman to travel to the Moon.

She has linked her career inspiration to the “Earthrise” photograph taken during Apollo 8, saying: “The fact that it was a human behind that lens made that picture so much more profound and changed the way we thought of our own home.” On the Moon’s scientific significance, she said: “The Moon was not just a symbol for thinking about our place in the Universe, it is a beacon for science and understanding where we came from.” She described the handwritten notes she will carry as a “tactile connection” to her loved ones.

Koch also pointed to the practical adjustments required during the mission, saying of communication with her husband: “He’s not going to be able to ring me and ask where something is in the house… He’s going to have to find it.” On readiness, she said: “We are ready.”

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Photo: NASA/BBC

Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen

Canadian mission specialist Jeremy Hansen, a former Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot and physicist, will be making his first spaceflight. He previously became the first Canadian to lead astronaut training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Hansen will be the first non-American to travel to the Moon.

Highlighting international cooperation, Hansen said: “The Artemis missions have set such an ambitious goal for humanity that… nations around the globe are coming together.” On the mission’s progress, he added: “We are going.” He is married with three children and has prepared his family for the experience by watching footage of the Artemis I launch together, noting they may hear engineers discussing “worst case scenarios” as part of safety testing.

Hansen plans to bring maple syrup, maple cookies and four Moon-shaped pendants engraved with “Moon and back” for his family.

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Photo: NASA/BBC

Pilot Victor J. Glover

Pilot Victor J. Glover, a US Navy fighter and test pilot, previously piloted the SpaceX Crew-1 mission. He will become the first Black person to travel to the Moon. In preparation, Glover has studied original Gemini and Apollo programme journals from the 1960s to draw lessons for the mission.

Reflecting on exploration, he said: “Pushing ourselves to explore is core to who we are… It is part of being human… We go out to explore, to learn where we are, why we are, understanding the big questions about our place in the universe.” On the destination, he added: “To the Moon.” He plans to carry a Bible, his wedding rings, family heirlooms and a collection of inspirational quotations from Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart.

The Artemis II mission is expected to test systems critical for future deep space exploration. Others involved in the programme have described the Moon as a “stepping stone” to Mars, underscoring its role in longer-term ambitions beyond Earth orbit.