NASA's Artemis II astronauts — three space station veterans and a Canadian rookie — stand out even in an astronaut corps full of super achievers.

Four astronauts strapped into NASA's new moon rocket and awaited liftoff Wednesday on humanity’s first lunar trip in more than half a century.The three Americans and one Canadian waved and shaped their hands into hearts as they emerged from crew quarters to cheers and said goodbye to their families.

NASA plans to make history today (April 1) with the launch of Artemis 2, the first crewed moon mission since Apollo 17 in 1972.

NASA’s Artemis II mission, due to lift off on April 1, will see Christina Koch become the first woman ever to travel beyond low-Earth orbit toward the moon.

The Artemis II mission will test NASA’s new Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft with a crew aboard, laying the groundwork for future missions that aim to land astronauts on the moon.

In April 2026, NASA’s Artemis II mission carried four astronauts around the Moon and back, sending Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen farther from Earth than any humans

The Artemis II pilot not only has a long career in science, but also, on the college gridiron.

The Royal Canadian Mint has proudly launched the 2026 $20 Fine Silver Coin – Moon Mission as Artemis II marks the historic return of crewed missions to the Moon since the end of the Apollo program in 1972.