50 years later: US returns to Lunar Orbit with Four Astronauts

For the first time, a woman and an African-American will go to the moon. NASA announced on Monday the names of the four astronauts who will orbit Earth's natural satellite at the end of 2024 after more than 50 years of absence, reported AFP.

Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Hammock Koch, as well as Canadian Jeremy Hansen will form the Artemis 2 crew, NASA announced from Houston, Texas.

They will be the first human beings to travel to the Moon - without landing there - since the last Apollo mission in 1972. Artemis 2 must prepare for the next mission, which will mark the return of humans to lunar soil.

Mission Commander Reid Wiseman and his two compatriots already know space from aboard the International Space Station (ISS), while this will be Jeremy Hansen's first space flight.

"Things are about to change"

Dressed in blue jumpsuits, the four were introduced by NASA chief Bill Nelson from the US space agency's center in Houston.

"It's been more than half a century since astronauts traveled to the moon," he said. "Well, that's about to change."

With African-American Victor Glover and Christina Hammock Koch on board, NASA is ahead of its promise to send the first woman and first person of color to the moon on the next mission to land on the moon, when the Apollo program took 12 men there - all white.

"Am I excited? Absolutely, but I'll turn the question over to you," Christina Hammock, 44, asked Koch at a news conference. "Because what I'm most excited about is carrying your enthusiasm, your aspirations, your dreams with us on this Artemis 2 mission."

Mission Commander Reid Wiseman praised the "exceptional" qualities of his...