All active NASA astronauts are eligible to participate in the Artemis Moon program, regardless of their age, according to a NASA official.
Any one of NASA's 42 active astronauts is eligible for an Artemis mission, according to the NASA chief. The right team will be assembled for this mission. This is an unexpected change of plans for the space agency, which hailed a select team of astronauts for its Artemis program earlier in the year. The Vice President gave the heroes of the future who will carry us back to the moon.
NASA wants to land the first woman on the Moon as part of the Artemis 3 mission, which is scheduled to launch no earlier than 25 years from now. Among the team members were Christina Koch and Jessica Meir, who took part in the first all-female spacewalks, as well as Jessica Watkins, the first Black woman to live and work on the International Space Station.
NASA emphasized at the time that this was an initial group of astronauts who could go to the Moon as part of the Artemis 2 and 3 missions. The space agency is leaning towards keeping the Artemis seats open for all of its current astronauts as well as 10 additional astronauts who are still in training. There are 42 active astronauts in Houston and 10 candidates who will be vying for a seat in Artemis 2. It doesn't matter if you're in your late twenties or mid-sixties if you qualify for Artemis.
The most recent class of astronauts were selected in December 2021. The Artemis missions to the Moon will be assigned to each candidate after they complete their training.
The launch of Artemis 1 could happen as early as August 29th. The uncrewed capsule will be sent on a 272,000-mile journey to the Moon and back. Artemis 2 won't land on the moon. After more than 50 years, the Artemis 3 crew is going to reach the moon. Many more astronauts are likely to be added to the Artemis program in the future because it is designed to keep a regular presence at and around the Moon.
NASA's Artemis Era could begin in just six weeks.
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