WASHINGTON, July 3, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- NASA has selected astronaut Andre Douglas as its backup crew member for
the agency's Artemis II test flight, the first crewed mission
under NASA's Artemis campaign.
Douglas will train alongside NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor
Glover, and Christina Koch,
and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
In the event a NASA astronaut is unable to take part in the
flight, Douglas would join the Artemis II crew.
"Andre's educational background and extensive operational
experience in his various jobs prior to joining NASA are clear
evidence of his readiness to support this mission," said
Joe Acaba, chief astronaut at NASA's
Johnson Space Center in Houston.
"He excelled in his astronaut candidate training and technical
assignments, and we are confident he will continue to do so as
NASA's backup crew member for Artemis II."
The CSA announced Jenni
Gibbons as its backup crew member in November 2023. Gibbons would step into the
mission to represent Canada should
Hansen not be available.
"Canada's seat on the historic
Artemis II flight is a direct result of our contribution
of Canadarm3 to the lunar Gateway. Jenni Gibbons' assignment as backup is of utmost
importance for our country," said CSA President Lisa Campbell. "Since being recruited, Jenni has
distinguished herself repeatedly through her work with NASA and the
CSA. She is also a tremendous role model for Canada's future scientists, engineers, and
explorers."
The selection of Douglas and Gibbons as backup crew members for
Artemis II is independent of the selection of crew members for
Artemis III. NASA has not yet selected crew members for Artemis
flights beyond Artemis II. All active NASA astronauts are eligible
for assignment to any human spaceflight mission.
The approximately 10-day Artemis II test flight will launch on
the agency's powerful SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, prove the
Orion spacecraft's life-support systems, and validate the
capabilities and techniques needed for humans to live and work in
deep space.
More on Artemis II backup crew
Douglas graduated from NASA's astronaut candidate training
program in March 2024. He is a
Virginia native and earned a
bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, as well as four
post-graduate degrees from various institutions, including a
doctorate in Systems Engineering from George
Washington University in Washington. Douglas served in the U.S. Coast
Guard as a naval architect, salvage engineer, damage control
assistant, and officer of the deck. He also worked as a staff
member at the Johns Hopkins University
Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel,
Maryland, working on maritime robotics, planetary defense,
and space exploration missions for NASA. Douglas participated in
the Joint EVA and Human Surface Mobility Test Team 5, working with
a specialized group that develops, integrates, and executes
human-in-the-loop tests, analog missions, and Moonwalks. Most
recently, Douglas worked with teams on the development of the lunar
terrain vehicle, pressurized rover, lunar Gateway and lunar
spacesuit.
Gibbons was recruited as a CSA astronaut in 2017 and
completed her basic training in 2020. Since then, Gibbons has
continued to serve Canada's space
program and has worked in different positions, including Mission
Control as a capsule communicator (CAPCOM) during spacewalks, and
commercial spacecraft and daily International Space Station
operations. Gibbons holds an honors bachelor's degree in Mechanical
Engineering from McGill University in
Montreal. While at McGill, she conducted research on flame propagation
in microgravity in collaboration with CSA and Canada's National Research Council Flight
Research Laboratory in Ontario.
She holds a doctorate in engineering from Jesus College at the University of Cambridge, England.
Under NASA's Artemis campaign, the agency is establishing the
foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon, land
the first woman, first person of color, and its first international
partner astronaut on the lunar surface, and prepare for human
expeditions to Mars for the benefit of all.
Learn more about NASA's Artemis campaign at:
https://www.nasa.gov/artemis
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nasa-announces-its-artemis-ii-backup-crew-member-for-moon-mission-302189010.html
SOURCE NASA