Meet the Crew of Artemis II and Their Personal Lunar Keepsakes

Tue Mar 31 2026 20:47:29 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The Artemis II mission prepares to send a crew of astronauts on a historic journey around the Moon, carrying personal items that reflect their hopes, histories, and connections to Earth.

The Artemis II crew, the first to orbit the Moon in over 50 years, includes Commander Reid Wiseman, Mission Specialists Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen, and Pilot Victor Glover. Each astronaut has chosen personal items to take on their journey, symbolizing their connections to family and their experiences. The mission aims to pave the way for future lunar exploration, showcasing the diverse backgrounds and personal stories behind each crew member.

Four astronauts are about to become the most closely watched crew since Apollo. They will be the first to orbit the moon for more than 50 years, testing the path back for the next generation. The crew includes three NASA astronauts - Commander Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch - along with Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency. Not only are they accomplished pilots, engineers, and scientists, they are also spouses and parents balancing a heroic adventure against the risks they and their loved ones will face.

Reid Wiseman - Commander

Reid Wiseman is a US Navy test pilot turned astronaut who spent six months on the International Space Station in 2014. Wiseman says he has a lifelong love of flying, but on the ground, he's afraid of heights. He will command Artemis II in what is the second flight of the Orion spacecraft, and the first to carry people around the Moon in more than 50 years. He lost his wife to cancer in 2020 and has raised their two teenage daughters alone. For the personal item NASA allows astronauts to take up with them, Wiseman plans to take a small notepad to jot down his thoughts during the mission.

Christina Koch - Mission Specialist

Christina Koch is an engineer and physicist who became an astronaut in 2013 and went on to set the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, spending 328 days aboard the International Space Station in 2019. She will be the first woman to travel to the Moon. Koch is taking handwritten notes from people close to her for her personal item, describing it as a tactile connection to loved ones back on Earth.

Jeremy Hansen - Mission Specialist

Jeremy Hansen is a former Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot and physicist who joined the Canadian Space Agency in 2009. He is married with three children and enjoys sailing and rock climbing. Hansen will carry four Moon-shaped pendants for his family and a personal touch of maple syrup and cookies on his lunar voyage.

Victor J Glover - Pilot

Victor Glover is a former US Navy fighter pilot and test pilot who has been selected as a NASA astronaut since 2013. He is set to become the first black person to travel to the Moon. Glover plans to take a Bible, his wedding rings, and family heirlooms, along with inspirational quotations.

In a NASA video, the astronauts distil the mission into a single phrase. We are ready, says Koch; We are going, adds Hansen; To the Moon, says Glover. Wiseman completes the sentence: For all humanity!