NASA has named astronaut Andre Douglas as the backup crew member for the upcoming Artemis II test flight, marking the first crewed mission under NASA’s Artemis campaign.
Douglas will train with NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, as well as Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Should a NASA astronaut be unable to participate in the flight, Douglas will step in.
“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 previously announced Jenni Gibbons as its backup crew member in November 2023. Gibbons would represent Canada on the mission if Hansen were unavailable.
“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 crew selections for Artemis III. NASA has not yet named crew members for Artemis flights beyond Artemis II. All active NASA astronauts are eligible for future human spaceflight missions.
The approximately 10-day Artemis II test flight will launch on NASA’s powerful SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, proving the Orion spacecraft’s life-support systems and validating the capabilities needed for humans to live and work in deep space.
More on Artemis II Backup Crew
Douglas, a Virginia native, graduated from NASA’s astronaut candidate training program in March 2024. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and holds four post-graduate degrees, including a doctorate in Systems Engineering from George Washington University. 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 at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, contributing to maritime robotics, planetary defense, and space exploration missions for NASA. Additionally, Douglas participated in the Joint EVA and Human Surface Mobility Test Team 5, working on human-in-the-loop tests, analog missions, and Moonwalks. He recently worked on developing the lunar terrain vehicle, pressurized rover, lunar Gateway, and lunar spacesuit.
Gibbons, recruited as a CSA astronaut in 2017, completed her basic training in 2020. She has served in various roles, including Mission Control as a capsule communicator (CAPCOM) during spacewalks, and commercial spacecraft and International Space Station operations. Gibbons holds an honors bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University and a doctorate in engineering from Jesus College at the University of Cambridge. She has also conducted research on flame propagation in microgravity in collaboration with CSA and Canada’s National Research Council Flight Research Laboratory.
Under NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency is establishing a foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon, aiming to land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface, and preparing for human expeditions to Mars for the benefit of all.–News Desk