US commits to landing an international astronaut on the Moon

Enlarge / Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a National Space Council meeting Wednesday in Washington. (credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky)

One of the core tenets of NASA's Artemis program to return astronauts to the Moon is its inclusion of international partners. This intertwines the program, like the International Space Station, with considerations of geopolitics and international relations, alongside key themes like US national prestige, exploration, and scientific discovery.

Earlier this year, NASA named a Canadian astronaut, Jeremy Hansen, to the Artemis II crew training to fly around the far side of the Moon, a mission that will likely launch sometime in 2025. This flight won't land on the Moon, but NASA plans a series of lunar landing missions beginning with Artemis III later this decade.

On Wednesday, Vice President Kamala Harris announced an international astronaut will land on the Moon during one of NASA's Artemis missions.