(Washington, DC) Today, House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Frank Lucas and Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren joined Space and Aeronatics Subcommittee Chairman Brian Babin and Ranking Member Eric Sorensen in congratulating the members of the historic Artemis II mission.

NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) jointly announced that Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Hammock Koch, and Canadian Jeremy Hansen are set to join the first crewed Artemis mission to fly around the Moon, with the potential to reach the furthest distance astronauts have ever traveled. The discoveries and knowledge gained from this mission will pave the way for Artemis III, set to return humans to the Moon for the first time in over 50 years.

“I join my Science Committee colleagues today in celebrating the Artemis II crew members and the talented NASA and CSA teams behind them powering this groundbreaking mission,” Chairman Frank Lucas said. “Artemis II will bring us one step closer to establishing a long-term human presence on the Moon and lay the groundwork for future human exploration of Mars. Unleashing a new era of space exploration will not only take us to places we’ve never been before, but power scientific breakthroughs, drive technological innovation, and inspire the next generation of students and scientists to reach new heights. The future of space is filled with new possibilities, and I look forward to launch day as Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy take the next great leap in space exploration.”

“Today, NASA shared the names of the four people who will venture beyond low Earth orbit for the first time in more than fifty years on the Artemis II mission to fly around the Moon,” said Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren. “Congratulations to Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Hammock Koch, and Jeremy Hansen. Each of these extraordinary public servants is incredibly accomplished and will play essential roles in this crewed test of NASA’s foundational human deep space exploration capabilities. As Ranking Member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, I am committed to continuing support of an ambitious and inspirational human spaceflight program. I wish NASA and the Artemis II crew best of luck in their preparations for the Artemis II mission, and I look forward to watching NASA’s continued progress in sending humans back to the Moon and on to Mars.”

“I was proud to join the incredible people of Johnson Space Center for the Artemis II crew announcement,” said Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee Chairman Brian Babin. “These astronauts are paving the way for our future in space—first, to the Moon. Soon, to Mars. There is no substitute for human exploration, and in our quest for the Moon, the Artemis astronauts will develop new technologies, identify crucial resources, and further our understanding of the universe. I’d like to congratulate Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Hammock Koch, and Jeremy Hanson and wish them well on this important mission.”

“Congratulations to Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Hammock Koch, and Jeremy Hansen for being named to the crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission to fly around the Moon,” said Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee Ranking Member Sorensen. “Just 24 humans have ever traveled beyond low Earth orbit, and they all did so more than fifty years ago as part of NASA’s Apollo program. The first crew of this new generation of deep space human exploration astronauts stands on the shoulders of those 24 Apollo astronauts, and they represent a 21st-century human deep space exploration program that is innovative, diverse, international, and committed to exploring deep space, from the Moon to Mars and beyond, for the benefit of all of humanity. I am excited to follow their preparations ahead of launch day and all that they will help us learn and discover.”