NASA announces Artemis 2 moon mission backup astronaut — Andre Douglas will support 2025 lunar liftoff

An astronaut looking at the sky in a simulated spacesuit helmet. on his right eye is a small screen used for augmented reality work.

NASA has a backup astronaut standing by for the first human moon mission in more than 50 years, which will lift off no earlier than 2025.

NASA astronaut Andre Douglas will serve as backup for the three U.S. astronauts on the Artemis 2 round-the-moon flight, the agency announced today (July 3). Douglas will back up commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialist Christina Koch. Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who is also a mission specialist on Artemis 2, already has a backup: astronaut Jenni Gibbons, also with CSA.