NASA has revealed Christina Hammock Koch to be the first woman to ever go to the moon, as part of the US space agency’s Artemis II mission.
Three others have also been named, as part of Nasa’s wider mission to put boots on the moon for the first time this century.
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Jeremy Hansen, pilot Victor Glover, commander Reid Wiseman have also been selected for the journey.
Glover will be the first person of colour to head to the moon.
The squad was jointly selected by Nasa and the Canadian Space Agency.
Koch holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman with a total of 328 days in space and participated in the first all-female spacewalk.
They will embark on a 10-day trip, although they will not orbit or land on the moon. Instead they will follow a hybrid free return trajectory.
Director of the Johnson Space Centre, Vanessa Wyche, said: “We’ve made many giant leaps in the past 60 years, fulfilling President Kennedy’s dream of putting a person on the moon.
“Today we stand on the shoulders of giants.
“This is only the beginning. For the students with us today… You are the future explorers, the future scientists, engineers and mathematicians of the Artemis generation.
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“Under Artemis, we’ll explore the frontiers of space and push the boundaries of what’s possible.”
Artemis II is slated to launch no sooner than November 2024.
It will be the first time a human has even gotten close to the moon since Apollo 17 landed on the lunar surface in 1972.
In mid-March, Nasa unveiled its next generation spacesuit which the team of astronauts will wear on the moon.
Nasa administrator Bill Nelson said: “The first woman and the first person of colour will take giant leaps on the lunar surface.
“The largest and most powerful rocket in the world is going to propel them to the heavens and they’re going to fly to the moon.
“It’s a mission that’s significant in many ways. It’s a demonstration of our ability to push the boundaries of human achievement and it’s a testament to the unwavering commitment of the team who made it possible.”
The team will embark upon a 60,000-mile round trip to the moon and back in SpaceX’s Starship.
After their time on the lunar surface, they will eventually travel back to earth at speeds 30 times faster than sound.
“Throughout the history of humankind, humans have gazed up at this celestial body, the moon, with wonder,” added Nelson.
“We will show what is possible when we dare to reach different cosmic shores.”
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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk
