International Space Agency Astronauts Conduct Training Flight Ahead of Artemis II Mission
NASA astronaut Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen embarked on a T-38 training flight from Ellington Field on February 11, 2026. Accompanying them were fellow NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover, forming part of the crew for Artemis II - the inaugural crewed mission utilizing the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.
Artemis II is slated to orbit around the Moon and return to Earth, testing Orion's systems and capabilities before a splashdown off the California coast. This mission marks a significant step towards advancing human exploration beyond our planetary neighbor, as part of an era of renewed innovation and discovery - the Artemis program.
The Artemis program signifies NASA's ambition to establish a sustained U.S. presence on the lunar surface in preparation for future manned missions to Mars. The waning crescent Moon provided a backdrop as Koch, Hansen, Wiseman, and Glover prepared for this historic voyage, their journey captured by NASA photographer Brendan Finnegan.
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