WATCH LIVE: NASA To Reveal Artemis II Astronaut Crew

HOUSTON Texas – NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) are set to announce the four astronauts who will travel aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft for Artemis II, a mission that will mark the first crewed flight test for the agency’s efforts to establish a long-term scientific and human presence on the lunar surface.

The announcement will be made at 11 a.m. EDT (10 a.m. CDT) on Monday, April 3, from NASA’s Johnson Space Center’s Ellington Field in Houston.

The mission will be the first crewed venture around the Moon and will be carried out using NASA’s Space Launch System rocket, Orion spacecraft, and necessary ground systems.

The approximately 10-day mission will primarily test the Orion spacecraft’s life-support systems and will demonstrate the capabilities and techniques required for living and working in deep space.

The crew for Artemis II will comprise three NASA astronauts and one CSA astronaut, in line with the agency’s commitment to international partnerships through the Artemis program.

The mission builds on the success of Artemis I, which launched an uncrewed Orion spacecraft atop the SLS rocket on a 1.4 million-mile journey beyond the Moon, aimed at testing systems before crewed missions to the Moon are undertaken.

The Artemis program is a major initiative by NASA to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon, with the ultimate goal of exploring Mars and beyond. With the announcement of the crew for Artemis II, the program takes another step toward achieving this historic milestone.