Washington, DC – In a historic announcement on Wednesday, December 20, United States Vice President Kamala Harris revealed plans for an international astronaut to set foot on the lunar surface as part of NASA’s Artemis program. The announcement signifies a deeper commitment to collaboration in space exploration.

During a meeting of the White House’s National Space Council, Vice President Harris emphasized the essential role of allies and partners in the Artemis program. She stated, “Today, in recognition of the essential role that our allies and partners play in the Artemis program, I’m proud to announce that, alongside American astronauts, we intend to land an international astronaut on the surface of the moon by the end of the decade,” announced Harris. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also attended the meeting. Watch the NASA broadcast in the video linked below.

The Artemis program, named after the Greek goddess and twin sister of Apollo, aims to land the first woman and next man on the Moon. NASA plans to establish sustainable lunar exploration. Each planned Artemis moon-landing mission will accommodate four astronauts, with only two descending to the moon’s surface, while the other pair monitor operations from lunar orbit.

NASA officials revealed that the Artemis II mission, set to launch in November 2024, will mark the first human orbit around the moon since the Apollo program ended half-a-century ago. Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, part of the Artemis II crew, expressed gratitude for the collaborative effort, stating, “This extraordinary example of US leadership leverages our collective expertise, and it is not only sincerely appreciated, but it is urgently needed in the world today.” Read about the rest of the crew in the previous Cosmic Chronicles: Meet the NASA Artemis II Astronauts that will go on a voyage around the Moon

The Artemis III mission, the first to land on the moon, is scheduled for at least the end of 2025. However, uncertainties surround the timeline due to the ongoing development of SpaceX’s Starship Human Landing System (HLS), the chosen lander for Artemis III. Read more: How NASA plans to use the Orion Space Launch System & SpaceX Starship to land Artemis Astronauts on the Moon

NASA officials emphasized that specific crew assignments will be made closer to each mission as the parameters and criteria are defined. The commitment to including international astronauts underscores the cooperative nature of the Artemis program and the broader global collaboration in space exploration.

VIDEO: NASA Broadcast of the 2023 White House’s National Space Council

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