NASA Names First Female and First Black Astronaut for Next Moon Mission

Updated on April 4, 2023

• NASA has announced the first woman and first black astronaut for their Artemis II mission, the first time humans will revisit the moon in over fifty years.
• Christina Koch and Victor Glover will join Reid Wiseman and Jeremy Hansen in late 2024 or early 2025. Glover will be on board as the pilot and Koch will be acting as "mission specialist."
• They will not step foot on the moon but their mission will collect vital information and conduct reconnaissance.
• NASA has kept its promise of selecting a more diverse crew for the next moon mission.
• Bill Nelson from NASA said of the mission:

"The Artemis-2 crew represents thousands of people working tirelessly to bring us to the stars. This is their crew, this is our crew, this is humanity's crew. Nasa astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Hammock Koch, and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen, each has their own story, but, together, they represent our creed: E pluribus unum - out of many, one. Together, we are ushering in a new era of exploration for a new generation of star sailors and dreamers - the Artemis Generation."

What's the story?

• NASA unveiled a new spacesuit better suited for female astronauts for its return trip to the Moon in 2025.

A new design

• The suits were designed by Texas-based company Axiom Space, who won the $228 million contract last year. The prototype is part of NASA's $1 billion investment to get two spacesuits designed in time for the mission.
• The existing spacesuits have not been completely redesigned since 1981, and the new prototype utilizes technological advances, such as 3-D printers and laser cutters, to ensure the suits are as dynamic as possible. 
• The suit, called the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), features joints stitched into it to provide the astronauts more flexibility and support while navigating the Moon's surface. The feature is vital as the Apollo Mission will survey geology and retrieve samples of the Moon's south polar region.
• The helmet also contains inbuilt lights and an HD video camera to send footage back to earth. The Axiom boots were designed to withstand the freezing temperatures in the permanently shadowed regions where the mission will focus its efforts.
• Mike Suffredini, Axiom Space president and CEO, said:

"Axiom Space's Artemis III spacesuit will be ready to meet the complex challenges of the lunar south pole and help grow our understanding of the moon in order to enable a long-term presence there."

• Lara Kearney, manager of Nasa's spacesuit team, said:

"The Moon is a hostile place, and the south pole is really going to be a challenge. A lot of thermal requirements, we are looking for improved mobility so our astronauts can operate more efficiently."

Designed for female astronauts

• NASA aims to have the design ready for its Artemis III mission in 2025, which will be NASA's first return trip to the Moon. They have vowed to send the first woman and person of color to the Moon on this mission.
• Women's ability to go to space had previously been hindered by a lack of spacesuits in their size.
• In 2019, NASA planned to send an all-female team to complete a spacewalk, but days before their departure, NASA realized they didn't have any spacesuits in women's sizes. One of the astronauts, Anne McClain, had to be replaced by a male colleague, Nick Hague.

Are you excited about NASA's upcoming, more inclusive Moon mission?

—Emma Kansiz

(Photo Credit: Axiom via NASA)