Meet the Artemis II Crew Making History on Their Way to the Moon

Four days after launching from Kennedy Space Center, the Artemis II crew is deep in cislunar space and closing in on the Moon. Each of the four astronauts aboard Orion is making history on this mission - here is who they are and what lies ahead as the spacecraft approaches its lunar flyby.

The Crew That Broke Barriers

Commander Reid Wiseman leads the mission. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Wiseman earned a degree in Computer and Systems Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute before becoming a Naval Aviator. He was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2009 and spent 165 days aboard the International Space Station during Expedition 41 in 2014, completing over 300 scientific experiments and two spacewalks totaling nearly 13 hours. He later served as chief of the astronaut office from 2020 to 2022. With Artemis II, Wiseman becomes the oldest person to travel beyond low Earth orbit.

Pilot Victor Glover is the first person of color to venture this far from Earth. A Pomona, California native, Glover graduated from California Polytechnic State University with a degree in General Engineering before joining the U.S. Navy as a naval aviator. Inspired by former NASA astronaut Pamela Melroy, he was selected as an astronaut in 2013. Glover previously served as pilot on NASA's SpaceX Crew-1 mission, spending 168 days in space and participating in four spacewalks during Expedition 64.

Mission Specialist Christina Koch holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman at 328 days. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Koch dreamed of becoming an astronaut since childhood. She is the first woman to travel beyond low Earth orbit.

Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen represents the Canadian Space Agency, becoming the first non-U.S. citizen to journey this far into deep space. A former fighter pilot and colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces, Hansen was selected as a CSA astronaut in 2009. He served as CapCom at Mission Control, participated in the European Space Agency's CAVES program, and was a crewmember on NEEMO 19, living on the ocean floor for seven days to simulate deep-space exploration. Artemis II marks his first mission in space.

Earth photographed by Commander Reid Wiseman from the Orion spacecraft window, showing auroras and zodiacal light as Earth eclipses the Sun during translunar injection. Credit: NASA

What Happens at the Moon

Today, April 5, Orion reaches the lunar sphere of influence - the point where the Moon's gravity exerts more force on the spacecraft than Earth's. The lunar flyby itself is scheduled for April 6, lasting from 2.45 to 9.40 p.m. EDT. At closest approach, around 7.02 p.m., Orion will pass just 4,066 miles from the lunar surface.

From that distance, the crew will see the entire disk of the Moon at once, including regions near the north and south poles. They will also photograph areas of the far side of the Moon never seen directly by human eyes. The spacecraft is expected to surpass the Apollo 13 distance record by 4,102 miles, reaching a maximum distance of 252,757 miles from Earth.

When Orion passes behind the Moon, the mission will experience a planned 40-minute communications blackout beginning at approximately 5.47 p.m., as the Moon blocks radio signals between NASA's Deep Space Network and the spacecraft.

Splashdown is expected on April 10, 2026.

Life Aboard Orion

While the crew profiles and flyby science dominate the headlines, the mission is also a critical test of Orion's habitability. The European Service Module, built by a consortium led by Airbus, manages thermal and life support systems while providing potable water, nitrogen, and oxygen to the four astronauts. With a wingspan of roughly 63 feet across its solar array wings, Orion is the only spacecraft currently rated to keep humans alive this far from Earth.